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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27777418">Victor de la Brigaide Mondaine, a lie</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mako_Neexu/pseuds/Mako_Neexu'>Mako_Neexu</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canonical Character Death, Character Analysis, Character Study, Family Secrets, Father-Son Relationship, Friendship, Gen, Headcanon, Identity Issues, Introspection, Kaito-centric fic, Kaitou Kid’s Doves are the Best, Kaitou Kid’s Snipers, Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid Needs a Hug, Magic, Meta, Mother-Son Relationship, Not Beta Read, Plotbunnies, Secret Identity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:08:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>23,522</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27777418</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mako_Neexu/pseuds/Mako_Neexu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What do you do when you find out you’ve been trained from the start to continue your family’s legacy? To what lengths are you willing to stake for you to find the truth?</p><p>How does Pandora fit in the picture? Kaito should have no connections to it other than the fact he has to destroy it. But all signs point towards his feather brushes with death and as Lady Luck’s favorite toy</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan &amp; Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid, Kuroba Chikage/Kuroba Touichi, Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid &amp; Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid's Dove(s), Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid &amp; Kuroba Touichi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>(i basically threw every headcanon i could think and theorize of so here you go  * hands u a pile of sht *)</p><p>inspired from the rare artworks ive seen with the kuroba family happy and intact | unbeta-ed like usual enjoy</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was rare for Kaito to be bored, especially on a Sunday. Even the teenager himself was surprised. He'd woken up with his bird's nest of a hair as usual. Maurice, his favorite dove, clearly did not help.</p><p>From Monday to Saturday, Kaito had done his morning routine. Come back to the living world. Do some workout (if he had time, he'd practice Aikido or Ninjutsu), dress up, then go to Aoko's to have breakfast. Both of them would bid Nakamori-keibu goodbye before heading to school, often bickering until class starts. Classes would pass by in a blur. The lessons were too easy. He'd studied them weeks ago and could recite them word for word and even explain the examples on each chapter without as much as a glance on his book. Hakuba still eyed him suspiciously and Kaito had to maintain his poker face while performing magic in front of his classmates. The only times he was able to actually relax was when the half-brit would occasionally go back to England.</p><p>Kaito still hadn't forgotten that bloody hawk of the detective's. He's got nothing against birds, he's a dove-lover for heaven's sake. But that one specific feathered bastard named "Watson" had him hating that creature for spying. How else was he supposed to sing peacefully in the shower?! Do a mating call?! On second thought, maybe he could get the hawk to side with him if he played his cards right..</p><p>Then there was that weirdo witch Akako. Deflecting her attempts to seduce him were easy but when she would suddenly get hurt for no reason, she would blame him for her misery and cause her simps (yes, he used that foreign term because duh, he's seen enough shitposts on the Internet to know English Slang not registered in his usual vocabulary.) to chase after him. Ugh, those were times Kaito wished he transferred to Meitantei's Ran-neechan's high school.</p><p>Speaking of his oh-so beloved Tantei-kun, Kaito—as KID— would sometimes go to the Mouri Detective Agency's rooftop at night to have pleasant chats with his favorite critic, often accompanied by warm drinks and snacks. The first time these... moonlit conversations started was when Kaito spotted the boy on top of the Agency's roof, curled around himself on one evening under November's night. Edogawa Conan was hesitant at first of course. Who would willingly associate themselves with international criminals that stole and returned jewels, were a bit suicidal, and not to mention, a menace to the police?</p><p>In the end, Kaito decided to help ease the trouble, pains, and worry that his little detective carried in his heart like an anchor that kept the ship on a standstill. Conan didn't break or cry, but it was close. Close enough that he'd trusted the thief to not use this subtle moment of weakness against him. Trusted Kaito enough to wrap his cape around him to shield him away from both the chilly wind and the cold pangs his heart seemed to ache whenever his dilemma would overwhelm him. Trusted KID enough to listen, understand, and never let this conversation leave the roof.</p><p>It was when their first chat outside of a heist had ended when Kaito felt a genuinely grateful smile spread across his favorite critic's face. That one smile had pushed him to visit the boy on a random pattern and surprise him on different occasions. The following few visits had Tantei-kun's hellish soccer ball nearly bashing his face. It was only his quick reflexes that had saved him from severe bruising.</p><p>(Note to self: ALWAYS bring black coffee to tame small detectives)</p><p>Instead of just venting their ambiguous problems out, they talked about various topics and argued about their preferences. Their banter were often about philosophical concepts, riddles, and history. Sometimes it would deviate to earlier periods of literature, manga, Western comic books, anecdotes, quotes, or sometimes it would be things like—</p><p>
  <em>"I didn't think that an internationally wanted thief would read Detective Red-Jacket. ESPECIALLY when he got the limited edition signed by the author himself. And said thief wouldn't lend it to me. Here I thought I was your favorite detective..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Nooo T-Tantei-kun please don't goooo. I promise I'll le— HEY, don't kick a soccer ball at my face!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em> "You're the worst, Bakaitou!" </em>
</p><p>And then there was one time when KID made Conan taste his kidney failure-inducing sweets and the latter forced the thief to drink intense black coffee potent enough to make the other stay awake for three days straight. </p><p>Kaito shivered at the memory. He didn't want a repeat of that again. He swore he couldn't absolutely taste anything after he drank that little devil's concoction. AND thanks to that, he looked like a drug addict. (He's not even gonna mention how Aoko got scared and nearly brained him with a mop when he tried to knock in the middle of the night asking for sleeping pills from her dad.) Ugh, Tantei-kun's so mean sometimes.</p><p>Whenever Kaito teased about Tantei-kun's obvious crush on Mouri-chan, he would fume before inflating a soccer ball to kick his ass. Other times, when it was chilly and the little detective forgot about wearing thicker clothes, Kaito would wrap the both of them with his cape, his Tantei-kun's head the only thing peaking outside. </p><p>Conan-kun (His favorite critic let him call him by his first name whenever they're alone and not on heists. Kaito was so touched he nearly cried while he tackled the detective and hugged him tight. Tantei-kun being his Tantei-kun, squirmed and flailed in his unrelenting grip. Hehe, the perks of being older rocks.) would be on top of his lap. Begrudgingly of course. Because Meitantei was a tsun-tsun. Nowadays, his Tantei-kun slept early due to cases that ran his body ragged; he’s still a kid after all. Kaito doesn’t mind that their “chat time” lessened. They still keep in touch via dove mail.</p><p>Back to the topic at hand, Kuroba Kaito, aged 17, sat at the ledge of his house’s balcony, covered in doves, is about to die of boredom. </p><p>Apparently, his Sunday today had everyone associated to him busy with their own things.</p><p>Kaito was in another lecture session with his doves and soaking in the barest rays of sunlight. It was 6 AM but he could care any less. His sleeping schedule is fucked up enough already.</p><p>“Maurice, I already told you to stop dropping your stuff on Ayanokoji-san’s garden. The woman gives me cookies every other week! Don’t mess with her please. Oh and don’t get me started with you, <em>Madame Joséphine</em>.” He hissed out her name in a French accent. Kaito’s favorite male dove sat on top of his hair, while the mate of the said favorite was pecking at the teenager’s arm.</p><p>Kaito reached below him, a bag of seeds for his doves. Each bird waited, praised and rewarded for their practiced patience. He made them do tricks that deserved more than a headpat and a portion of food. He was quite proud of them, if one were to ask.</p><p>After their breakfast, each dove flew to one of the magician’s limbs. There, they perched and cooed on various parts of his body. From an outsider’s view, Kaito looked like he was one second away from being kidnapped by a collective of feathered creatures that squirmed and noisily flapped their wings around his body. To Kaito, well, it was the norm. So he didn’t mind the random intrusion of space he sometimes got from his beloved doves.</p><p>Kaito focused on Joséphine, a huff came from him but it was fond, “Mon cher, although I let you off the hook sometimes, you must know that we have morals to upho—“</p><p>A tune came from his phone came. The specific tone made him freeze before smacking a hand down his face and dragging it downwards. Right. Of course, it had to be today.</p><p>How could he <em>forget</em>.</p><p>The magician opens his phone along with the messaging app.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>From: Kaa-san</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Kaito~</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It’s time we talked about the other contents of your father’s workroom ; )</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The message had him muttering out a monotone “Hah?” and a flat expression. What could possibly be in the workshop that's still undiscovered? A secret wardrobe? More copies of treasures to return? Another hidden gadget for his heist? Another family secret??? Damn did Oyaji hide so many secrets. With his curiosity piqued, Kaito writes and ties a little note on Cora's leg before sending her off with an attempted kiss, only to be thwarted by her mate, Tamaki, squawking at his face. Kaito waved him off, a pout on his lips, "Yeesh, you're so possessive."</p><p>He gently nudges his other doves off of him, and guides them to their cages. Kaito absolutely hated confining them, but it bothered his neighbors. Plus, they needed to get some extra training. Although they were highly skilled in delivering items at the designated places he had trained them to be familiar with, his doves tend to get annoying sometimes. Okay not all of them because Maurice was a favorite for an obvious reason. Cora did her job swiftly and that's what he liked about her, hence, his second favorite.</p><p>The teenage magician fixes himself up before opening his laptop to have a video chat with his mother.</p><p>Soon, he was greeted with his mother dressed up for an evening stroll, a teacup in hand, and her background seemed to be a coffee shop's rooftop that overlooked a few streets below. Europe again huh, he idly thought. There was also the familiar noise of chatter and engines of cars. That way, their conversation was distorted enough that any spy might try to listen in may not decipher any of it. Both of them excelled in lip reading. They could always do that but it differed from hearing each other's voices.</p><p>
  <em>"Kaito~ How are you darling? Have you been eating well? What about Konosuke-san?</em>
</p><p>He rolls his eyes fondly, "Still alive Chikage-san. Jii-chan’s still running his bar. Where are you this time? Italy or Germany?"</p><p>A mischievous smile forms on her lips. Kaito's brain short-circuits. Because <em>holy shit, a trip down memory lane again? Oh Kami-sama help me...</em></p><p>"<em>I'm here at France! Paris to be exact. Because I felt nostalgic</em>." A fleeting sad smile passes by her face before it was turned into something more cheerful. "<em>Kaito, have you received the money for your monthly expenses? I reminded you to visit the bank just last weekend."</em></p><p>The current bearer of the name "Kaitou Kid" suddenly had a fearful expression on his face. Suddenly, the edge of his table looked interesting. Chikage eyed him. "O-Oh! Right! Well, I was hanging out with Aoko at that time and I kinda lost track of ti—"</p><p>A razor-edged smile gleamed from his mother's face. Her tone dripped of warning, "<em>Kaito</em>..." The young man barely held back a yelp. Shit. He'd forgotten that his mother was the Showa era's Woman of Twenty Faces. Not good. NOT. GOOD.</p><p>Apparently his poker face never worked for his mother. Because she always saw through him. She was his mother after all.</p><p>"<em>Dear</em>," That unsettling smile was still in place. Although it shifted to something resigned and upset. Kaito found himself disliking the frown on his mother's face. <em>"I know you have your part-time job as an assistant casino dealer to Sakunosuke-san's branch but you have to lean on me too. I can see those bags under your eyes, no matter how much you try to hide it. You push yourself too hard. You're still a teenager so loosen up a bit!"</em></p><p>He fiddled with his playing cards below the table, trying to alleviate his nervousness at being scolded by his mom. "Y-Yeah, sorry Kaa-san. And thanks."</p><p>"<em>Now about that workshop</em>," Chikage changes the topic and elegantly sips her tea, humming for a moment. "<em>When we moved to Japan, your father and I had decided to... plan how to better protect yourself when we're not by your side."</em></p><p>Kaito's breath hitched and he moved his lips that lacked a sound, "So... did the Organization already know that... KID had...?" a <em>family</em> went unsaid.</p><p>His mother replied and switched to lip language too, <em>"Thankfully, no. Your father was always careful in his tracks. Touichi... made sure that even after he was gone, people that were linked to the phantom thief remained in the shadows. At least, long enough for 'Kaitou Kid' to be forgotten and no one would give it a second thought."</em></p><p>The former Phantom Lady gave a long suffering sigh, <em>"Before I say anything else, I want you to understand that what we did was for you to be safe. Your father protected me by becoming the center of the world’s attention, while I...I just wished that I could have the ability to catch his murderers..."</em> His mother spoke softly, a sad smile placed on her lips.</p><p>"Kaa-san..." Kaito uttered out with a voice this time and he found his hand reaching out to the screen of his monitor, and the urge to hug his mother was strong.</p><p>Chikage's voice was suddenly back, sorrow and fear embedded in her words, "<em>I know your night time job is important but I'm worried that someday, I might lose you too Kaito.</em>" She looked at him straight in the eye. The teenager held his breath, needles pierced his heart at the sight of his mother doing her best not to breakdown right then and there.</p><p>Chikage dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. "<em>Regarding the “what we did”... it was long-term a contingency plan. In case something went wrong and the two of us had absolutely no means of reaching you. It's something you find useful everyday but you would hate us for it if you knew. However, we absolutely had no intention to involve you with our past.</em>" He nodded, his expression solemn and took her words to heart.</p><p>"I understand, Kaa-san. “What you did” probably affected me in some way, even if I don’t know it yet. But that doesn’t change the fact that the two of you are the reason who I am today. I'm not sure I could bring myself to hate you and Oyaji, but I'm confident that it was something good and it had helped me in the long-run."</p><p>He moved his lips with the exception of sound, "The organization that... caught Oyaji off-guard...is still out there. Even if I didn't know his other persona, I still would have chased after them. I could've become a detective or pursued a career in Law, but I didn’t.”</p><p>He smiles a little and chuckles, “Besides, I’m not much of a stickler to the rules. Actually, does it run in the family? I'm pretty sure I heard that my great-grandfather used to be the right-hand man of a Yakuza boss and that the Kurobas were distantly related to the famous Charles Earl Bowles.” He jokingly said with a laugh. He smiled wider when his mother joined in on his laughter. And she laughed... long and hard. To say that the laugh is weird was... an understatement because there's a specific mirth in the wrinkle of his mother's eyes. And Kaito has an inkling that he didn't WANT to know. So he waves it off.</p><p>When the temporary amusement at the joke died, he continued but in a lighter, more assured tone, “So it's my responsibility because I chose to take up his mantle. So don't feel bad alright? I'm still here. I still have you so..." Kaito trailed off, letting his silence speak for himself. His gaze was averted to the side and his other hand was rubbing the nape of his neck. Chikage observed him for a moment, taking in her son's face, his actions, mannerisms, his hands, and his eyes that held all his emotions buried under a poker face.</p><p>She saw loneliness, hope, determination, mischievousness, love, and so much more that resembled both his father and mother.</p><p>She dearly wished to go back home, cradle her only son and console him with his troubles. Being a phantom thief wasn't easy after all. What with the looming threat of the possibility that you might slip someday and reveal your identity, dangerous unknown factors adding on to heists, loved ones endangered, miscalculations, keeping up with appearances, the pressure, anxiety, and paranoia...</p><p>All of which he shoved under the "poker face" he so often had worn.</p><p>Chikage marveled at her son's strength to hold on his own ever since she left the country to tie up some loose ends; make sure that jewels of noteworthy sizes get displayed in Japan; gather a few favors for Kaito's contingency plans, and secure her son's future away from handcuffs and life sentences. </p><p>Back then, grief for her husband still clouded her heart but she needed to help her only child. Kaito was her only link to him. Her son, that looked and acted so much like Touichi. Sooner or later, he would find out. Reality would always come down crashing through your door after all. If he were to find out, let it be when anguish didn't seem to loom over them like a noose ready to tighten around their throats. She'd rather have her son learn the truth through someone he trusts and not from an enemy who aimed to shoot directly at the heart. Because being a criminal, especially an internationally wanted criminal, with a story unknown to most of the world, did not go well for relatives being kept in the dark.</p><p>Despite being surrounded by many people, he was still alone. Their family friend, Konosuke Jii, was only an assistant and a loyal follower to the Kurobas. Kaito could confide to him, however, the old man doesn't seem to be the type to give emotional advices, only those pertaining to heists, bypassing security and the like, he could give.</p><p>It was as if the magician performed but kept a barrier around himself to keep other hands from reaching out to him. If she was in his position (and she had, once upon a time, as a teenager too), she would have kept all of her loved ones in the dark and operate as a lone wolf. Unable to rely on anyone but yourself for survival to attain your goals, unable to connect nor severe existing ties with whom you have associated with. Chikage just knew that that was what her son was experiencing right now. As KID. As Kuroba. As someone's friend or student, civilian or criminal. It was bad enough that the son of Japan's Tokyo Metropolitan Police Superintendent was and is still suspicious of Kaito being KID.</p><p>She knew her son was a cheerful person at heart and that whenever he sees someone sad, he did his absolute best in making a smile bloom on a person's face. And he did it with the thing he loved the most - Magic.</p><p>However, as Kid planned and snatched jewel after jewel, her son (according to Aoko's observations), became more... restrained in enacting on his usual antics. It was still there, but the frequency dwindled. The girl would never admit it out loud to the boy, but she got extremely worried for her childhood friend's inactivity in... well, being himself. Pranks, magic, and impromptu shows in the park; all of which occurred less. His childhood friend pestered her for the reason why Kaito had suddenly become... "mature". Chikage smoothly chalked it up to puberty.</p><p>As such, "Kaitou Kid" was the only way Kaito—Kuroba Kaito, could freely use his magic with. People adored the Magician underneath the Moonlight, there was an entire Task Force dedicated to the thief himself, always accompanied by close-call captures and adrenaline. Chikage knew it was a drug. The rabbit-pacing of your heart as someone cuts off your main escape route, the nearly impossible way to break through dozens of men prepared to cuff your wrists, and the rival who always figured out your riddles and motives.</p><p>She knows that her son loved the sensation of a chase, of the thrill, because it runs in the family after all. There was always that chance that Kaito might continue to be "KID" even after he'd long obtained his objectives. She really didn't want to see her son die a thief or live long enough to be caught and put behind bars for the rest of his life.</p><p>Chikage worried that someday, without anyone to lean on, her son's mask would break, following both the Kuroba and Kid aspects of him.</p><p>That is why, even before Kaito first slipped passed through his father's portrait inside his room, Chikage had started preparing all the things he would need. Financial stabilization supplying both his everyday needs and tools for heists, cleaning up the safehouses scattered in Japan, and every country the previous Kaitou Kid had went to, hiring people to educate the magician's assistant in erasing evidence, retaining anonymity and privacy in the technological world, as well as hacking. She had also manipulated a few people to clean up Kaito's mess whenever things went south in his plans. More so if he had to make a quick escape to avoid a deeper scratch to a failed plan. Chikage disliked having to use them, but it was necessary to backup her son whenever she can. Teenagers are prone to mistakes. However she never underestimated Kaito's skill set. A magician's sleight of hand and a Phantom Lady's agility were a deadly combination that KID's enemies should fear.</p><p>If Kaito knew where the money for his gadgets, tools, replacement for items and clothing had been coming from, he would increase his part-time job's shifts to pay her back. Which, if that happened, being a phantom thief would not bode well for an already sleep-deprived teenager. So she could only hope that the... rather poor excuse that the Blue Parrot's meager funding would cover for her.</p><p>(That one statement from her own son: "Geez, spending Dad's savings..." left a sharp pang inside her chest that she found that she hadn't quite liked. She reasoned that it was for the best for Kaito to think that she went around the world to party and spend her husband's fortune on impractical things. Yes. It was for the best.)</p><p>Still, thinking all of these for a moment, she can't help but feel guilty for the pain her son was constantly experiencing.</p><p>The teacup clinked against its saucer, there was a momentary sadness that etched in her eyes before it was replaced with a longing smile and a hand over her heart.</p><p>"<em>Oya~ you remind me so much of your father.</em>" She sighed dreamily before chastising him. "<em>Don't go break too many hearts young man! Charm should be used wisely, otherwise I would need to tutor you how to be a proper gentleman."</em></p><p>Kaito's eyebrow twitched in annoyance, "HAH?! I barely have anyone I like Kaa-san. Don't go assuming things!"</p><p>Chikage closed her eyes and shrugged, "<em>Mmhmm, that's like saying Sherlock Holmes is a fraud. I've seen you charm a dozen ladies on your last heist and that one time you had to flirt with Osaka's Detective as a woman. I <strong>know</strong>, what you've been doing Kaito."</em></p><p>The teenager turned red and groaned, covering his eyes with a hand, "Ughh, Jii-chan's a traitor...so mean..."</p><p>Her hand reached for the laptop, presumably to readily exit the application, "<em>Anyway, you have to put in a sequence on the jukebox. He never told me the password because he wanted you to be the one to open it. As for the contents? Well, that is something you, dear, have to find out</em>." The woman winked at him with that cheeky grin.</p><p>"Jeez, I know that look! You know what's inside! Come on tell me already." Kaito whined.</p><p><em>"I love you! À bientôt, Kaito!</em>" Chikage blew an air kiss at him.</p><p>Before the teenage magician could protest, the call was over. Leaving him to stare at his own reflection on his monitor. He blinked widely—once,twice—before grumbling, "Love ya too, Kaa-san." He inwardly groaned at his mother's habit of ending video calls abruptly. </p><p>Kaito pushes himself out of the chair before he flung himself on his bed, face down and motionless. Unintelligible mumbles come out of his mouth, <em>(why does talking to her make me exhausted ughhhhh. Oyaji give me strength, why did Jii-chan have to tell Kaa-san about that one heist whyyyyy)</em> his face smothered on his pillow. Even though it was nearing seven in the morning, Kaito fell fast asleep.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>there may be some inaccuracies but im too tired to research for them</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>An hour passes by, before he awoke from the soft tapping from the window. Cora was back, on her leg was the reply he'd been expecting. Kaito set her on his lap and gently took the note off her leg.</p><p>"Aww, good girl." He pet her head with two fingers before releasing her. She already knows where her mate is and she can do whatever she wanted as her reward. The bird flutters towards the balcony, joining the others. He rolled his eyes playfully, "Jeez, what did I do to deserve them?"</p><p>He opens the small letter addressed to none other than Edogawa Conan.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Yo Meitantei! A few of my feathered friends are missing you. I think they got too attached to your cowlick. In any case, Irene seems eager to be with you, Magia too.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Barou, if you mean by “a few”, DO NOT bring all of them! It’s bad enough Ran started asking about your “Delivery Dove Express” when your doves brought in that stupid Kid-plushie of yours. So don’t worsen the situation you thief or I’ll strangle you. Irene is... clingy. I’ll let her stay for an hour or else she’ll go start a nest on my head. You can send in any of your doves as long as Doyle comes. Oh and I can only allow four birds.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oi, you should train Cora to be more discreet in visiting. Haibara's gotten suspicious today. So leave me alone for a few days will you? I swear you're a pain..</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I demand black coffee for dealing with you.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Aww, did Meitantei make time for his doves today? So cute!</p><p>So Tantei-kun is at the Professor's home during Sunday. Staying at his house means Conan interacting with that scary ojou-san...</p><p>A shiver passes through his spine, "Man, I really need to be careful around her..."</p><p>Of course. The Holmes fanatic wanted the dove named after his favorite writer. And that dove just so happened to be overly-affectionate with Conan. Ugh, and Doyle was one of the smartest in the flock too. No doubt his Tantei-kun has been slowly urging the dove to side with him, turning Doyle into a double agent. Oh and that would be <em>bad</em> for his heists.</p><p>Kaito got up from his bed and stretched out the kinks in his body. He prepared Doyle, Magia, Hana, and Irene for flight. Like a mother reminding her son to be nice at school, Kaito said, "You guys, stay on the routes I've always taught you okay? Since it's gonna be sunny today, take Routes 3,7,2, and 8. NO distractions, especially you Magia." He narrowed his eyes in a weak glare at the cooing bird on his shoulder. "Well then, make sure you guys don't spill Meitantei's drink or he'll kill me." He added with a chuckle. The box containing Conan's thermos of coffee was tied to each foot of the doves, equally sharing its weight. They've done this before, and it'll go off without a hitch. They're well-trained by none other than the son of Asia's Greatest Magician, Kuroba Kaito. The four birds took off without trouble.</p><p>Now, on to the matter his mother had left him.</p><p>The workshop, or the jukebox to be precise.</p><p>He hummed inquisitively and surveyed his room, "Now then, if I were Oyaji's jukebox password, where would I be?"</p><p>The teenage magician roamed and inspected for the house's irregularities. Feeling the walls, looking behind portraits, pressing, flipping and squeezing various objects around his house and getting something to eat along the way. Unsurprisingly, he came up with nothing. His Oyaji's tricks were complex and well-thought of, so of course his dad wouldn't deviate to normal clue finding.</p><p>If it isn't in hidden compartments, then maybe it's a "tree that hid in the forest". That or his Oyaji may have told him something vague in the past that had left him confused, he was still a kid at that time after all. Kaito thought as he went back up to his room, noting possible engraved markings on the objects in his house.</p><p>The young Kuroba pulled out a deck of cards. Shuffling, passing, disappearing the cards in a cycle that had his hands' muscle memory moving on its own. All while he thought of clues.</p><p>If Kaito was the audience and his father performed a "trick" (the trick being guessing the jukebox password), there would be many possibilities that could unfold. Using a magician's terminologies, it would be:</p><p> </p><p>A. His dad would be using a servante or a topit</p><p> </p><p>B. Close up magic, or maybe just prestidigitation(?). Something that's constantly moved around in his peripheral vision without his suspicion.</p><p> </p><p>C. Giving Kaito a "cold" set of cards. Unmarked, not double backed nor an invisible deck. Just plain and bought right away from the store.</p><p> </p><p>D. It would be something he didn't expect.</p><p> </p><p>Chances and the properties of probability aside, his father was the type to make a simple magic trick look utterly complicated and unexpected that you wouldn't know it was a bluff in the first place. Touichi manipulated his audience's reactions like revealing his hand to unveil a royal flush to his overconfident rivals.</p><p>He considered going to his parents' room for a quick look. His mother wouldn't mind if her stuff was tampered with anyway. Hiding it in drawers and behind mirrors are too easy, so he wouldn't bother with those. Kaito entered the room and stopped to look at it. He swallows a lump in his throat when memories of magic tricks, dove grooming, and language lessons came to his mind, threatening to break the poker face.</p><p>Breathe. He reminds himself and he calms down. His eyes stray to the walk-in closet that housed many of the suits and disguises the previous Kaitou Kid had worn and impersonated in. Kaito knew the contents but hadn’t actually seen it personally, so when he turned the knob and went inside—</p><p>"Am I in a mall...? What the hell Oyaji..."</p><p>And it really looked like he was in a section of a department store's clothing. How the narrow door of the closet contained a vast space that held numerous garments left him in bewilderment. A buyer who could only stare dumbly. The only thing missing were the store clerks and brighter lighting. Just how did his father— nevermind, magicians should keep their secrets to themselves.</p><p>Shoes were lined up in a neat fashion. Suits, dresses, jeans, every article of clothing he could think of was stored nicely.  It seemed that no matter what time or place he's in, his Oyaji never failed to leave him in amazement and shock.</p><p>Something caught his eye. There was a headless mannequin on the corner, just behind a glass door. It held a dark suit, vest, and slacks, along with a crimson tie that hung neatly on the neck of the dummy. Matching Oxford shoes were displayed on the bottom. The trademark black top hat many magicians had once used sat on an elevated platform beside the shoes. A small box, presumably holding a pair of cufflinks, sat on the top right shelf inside. Kaito wondered when did his father wear this particular suit. Well, no use wondering when he can identify the clothing by taking a closer look. He discreetly opened the glass, avoiding anything that may collide with it.</p><p>The tips of his fingers brushes at the fabric.</p><p>Wait.</p><p>This looks...feels... <em>familiar</em>...</p><p>"Is this a....Bespoke suit?" With the grace of a magician's swift hands, he easily found the tag.</p><p>Kaito cursed. "Shit..."</p><p>His mind had flashed events in his eyes. It felt like watching through a film of sepia, of dear photos being found after a long time stored in the attic. He remembered the events that happened when his Oyaji had worn the Bespoke suit on the night of his Grande Show. They were in England at that time, where Touichi held the largest audience ever gathered in a magician's history.</p><p>And God, he had a blast. Everyone who attended his father's show had a good time. Even some of the Royal Family had come! Jesus, he couldn't even describe the amount of dopamine his body produced.</p><p>All he thought of were the smiles that the people gave when his father had done something that impressed the audience.</p><p>Life lessons were taught accompanied by simple tricks that made it seem so... so... special. So heart warming that you can't help but feel the beauty from Oyaji's words of advice. No. <em>Words to live by</em>.</p><p>Kaito remembered one particular memory that stood out among the rest. And it involved the very suit before him.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Life itself is a magic trick. How you may ask? Well..." Touichi's smooth voice were transmitted to the wired microphone his ear held. The speakers were spread all over the theatre, allowing his words to hold his audience's attention. "Think of the most common trick of all: the bunny from a top hat. You've seen it a lot of times and you probably know how it works by now, am I right? But what about the people who have yet to know how the trick works? Do they try to figure out the method behind it, deducing and observing until they have the answers? Or do they simply enjoy the magic trick without trying to find out, simply letting it as it is?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>With a poof of smoke, he produces the head wear now placed on his hands. "When we were born, we always got curious with our surroundings; exploring, seeing, believing in the things our eyes set sights upon. Children's wonder were always a delight to see. They sparkle and marvel at the world's allure, eager hands reach out to the truth, they crawl towards mysteries and show a rainbow of emotion over simple things."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The magician walked around the stage, towards the end of the catwalk and gestured with his hands as he talked. Touichi kept a small smile as he held the top hat sidewards with the hole in the direction of his audience, before stretching his arms out to the crowd to show them the lack of an animal. "It's empty you see, as it should be. But if I put my hand inside," He made a show of animatedly sticking half the length of his arm inside the hat.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then, Kuroba Touichi pulled out, "Voilá!" A delicate bunny the size of a book was on his right hand in a scooped position. "My dear assistant is now at the palm of my hands. When just a moment ago, she was inside her hutch backstage. How is this related to my first question, you ask?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The animal and the hat was set aside before the man dusted his suit off, "Imagine the whole universe as our top hat. Then the rabbit could be interpreted as us humans. We are tagging along in this magic trick you see. One moment, everything is but darkness, the next, we are suddenly born in this world. To find our purpose and happiness so that we can live."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A dove popped out of nowhere, appearing on the magician's shoulder to perch. "Of course, a magic trick can fail. Well, that's just how life is isn't it? In fact, our mistakes are evidence of the growth with each step we take."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He gestures for his dove to transfer to his hand, before petting the creature with a fond smile, "You are well and alive watching this little show of mine, able to smile despite the pain riddled in your life. You are struggling, breathing, crying, laughing in the life you live in."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Silence ruled the whole theatre. His audience could only process his words and be in awe of Kuroba Touichi. Everyone knew, within the vicinity, that he had once again touched the hearts of many, allowing admiration and heartfelt emotion be visible in the eyes of the people.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"For the simple act that you are living today," In a grand whirl of the magician, rose petals, rainbow ribbons and doves drifted across the whole auditorium. Every person had gasps of awe as the small pieces of the colorful material, feathers and the bits of the flowers landed on their heads or laps. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Asia's Greatest Magician bowed in a manner that spoke of gratefulness, "I must thank you for the journey you've come across so far and may you live long and happy lives for your tomorrow."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Unshed tears welled up in his eyes. Kaito quickly wiped them away. He closes the glass door slowly, afraid he might shatter one of the last memorabillia of Kuroba Touichi and his magic. A white card was on the side, just in his line of sight when he turned his head to the right, held his father's signature. The teenager reached for it. There it was, neatly written in an intricate and familiar cursive:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"To: <em>Kaito</em>" on the front. And at the back:</p><p>
  <em>In case you find this before your 20th birthday, I was planning to give this to you as a present. The suit is similar to KID's fabric. May Lady Luck continue to guide you in life.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kuroba Touichi</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A dazzling smile blooms on Kaito's face as he pockets the card. He mentally notes to get back at the suit later. For now, he goes to a deeper part of the closet, where his Oyaji's old materials for his magic shows were stored. Lighters, cups, strings, confetti, different kinds of gloves, candles, glitter and the like were separated by alphabetical order. </p><p>He knew his dad also used science in his tricks but he wasn't sure where he got the chemicals until Kaito first entered the KID workshop. He had been utterly speechless to the amount of compounds gathered in the cabinets and a large freezer. Hydrogen Fluoride, Luminol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ferric Chloride, Potassium Thiocyanate, Strontium Aluminate, and other chemicals he was sure that he's familiar with at first glance. </p><p>That's the crux of the problem, wasn't it? Kaito just <em>can't</em> get over the fact that at the first glimpse, he recognized the items based on nonexistent memory. He was sure that he'd learned a few compounds from his chemistry class but it felt like he'd known them longer than before, like way back. Another mystery for later, he supposes. There was also the tanks that contained an inordinate amount of sleeping gas, a bit unsettling. He was thankful for the seemingly endless supply though. It had helped his heists numerous times already.</p><p>The more complicated and harder to set-up tools a magician needs were, of course, stored in the workshop too. Since the only people who has access to this is the Kuroba family and Jii-chan of course. </p><p>(How his father managed to fit his old 1969 Alpha Romero Spider without a garage door is beyond him. <em>Him</em>, a magician, the son of THE Kuroba Touichi, not knowing the secret of his father's tricks up To. This. Day. Surely, his father and ancestors were cackling beyond the grave.)</p><p>Going back to his main task at hand, Kaito ponders while sorting through the array of "beginner magician's" apparatus. Kaito wonders just how much budget did his father spend on his heists as KID. Considering that Kuroba Touichi was a world-famous magician, the pay was probably something that even Mouri Kogoro would prostrate to even have a chance to earn it. So money wasn't the issue. What bothered him was the fact that just how did his father obtain chemicals that are normally under a licensed scientist to operate with. Connections, his mind supplies. If that's the case, then Kaitou KID's identity would have been found out years ago. Maybe Oyaji had scientist friends? Or he used to be one himself? Ack, there’s really a lot of things I don’t know yet huh...</p><p>There was also the matter of KID's secret tailor. He had learned it from Jii-chan one time, when Kaito got grazed by a few bullets from a nearby rooftop. The sniper was arrested, however, it had left KID bleeding and the suit torn. It was four weeks after the heist with a sniper, when the suit was perfectly restored. Jii-chan showed him to a room that held a mannequin, carrying the trademark white costume. No stitches, no additional accessory, it was as if the suit got mended on its own. He also did NOT gape at the sudden snug fit of the clothing. </p><p>It framed his shape <em>too </em>splendidly. God, it hugged his butt too. If he compared the suit, he'd say that he loved the second version without hesitation. The first version, which Touichi had worn, was something that fit a 30 year old man. So the loose garments were uncomfortable to move with whenever he got chased.</p><p>Kaito pestered his assistant endlessly. <em>Who made this suit? How the hell did they know my exact measurements? Do they know KID's identity? Oh my god, how much did you spend on a new suit Jii-chan. WAIT. You didn't spend on a new suit???? This is the same as before??? Holy shit. That is incredible but extremely creepy. Jii-chan please let me know who they are. Anonymity? Well that's unfair since they know who the current KID is...</em></p><p>In the end, Jii-chan didn't budge. However, Kaito suspects that this has something to do with his mom. But he doesn't have evidence.</p><p>Yet.</p><p>After his tailor fiasco, Kaito decided to lighten up the load he carries every time he went on heists. Six different disguises, a bullet proof vest, thirty to forty kilograms of metal, fabric, smoke bombs, and sleeping gas stored inside his suit along with other various equipment all magicians use, was stored under-within-outside-in between KID's regalia that most would find hard to believe. </p><p>As to how he kept his suit flat that lacked any bulges around his body, that was a magician's trade secret. Of course he'd never tell. But Kaito can't deny that it literally weighed him down during his heists. He was strong and agile enough to dodge the task force, but he wasn't fast enough for guns and rifles.</p><p>He remodeled his father's card gun and tripled its functions. For that to happen, he dug out the blueprints, notes, and did research to reinvent, fix, and add features for a more modern look. His card gun was also his grappling gun and stun gun. If it was in its default mode, he could adjust his gun's setting to shoot up to three cards per shot. And he learned and did this under three weeks. That was a feat that Kaito himself felt proud of.</p><p>He also improved his dummies to walk, act, speak, on its own that can last for about a minute if he isnt in control. The knobs on his cape were reinforced, packed with a small smoke generator and a balloon to cushion his fall. Kaito layered his gloves, because he wasn't paranoid okay? It wasn't like he utilized every inch of the KID costume and put every ounce of his contingency plans that spanned from A1 to Z3.</p><p>(That time his little critic suddenly appeared without notice tipped off his plans and had him scrambling for Contingency Plan #H2. That was the most exciting yet terrifying heist he had since he had a handicap that involved lots of f-f-finny things and children. He had proposed to the police one time that if a child catches sight of him, he would willingly show them his wrists. Nakamori-keibu gladly filled the whole venue with <em>brats</em>. He swore that his Tantei-kun let him off the hook and took pity upon him. <em>Him</em>! The elusive Kaitou Kid! Ugh, he's never ever forgetting that day honestly. He never took off with the jewel of course. Because his little detective had him cornered, much to his chagrin.)</p><p>The wardrobe was still dark and light barely reached the deepest ends of what seems to be the abyss. He notices in this section of the compartment that his Oyaji had a lot of cards. Decks of them. A sudden thought occurs to him—</p><p>"Come to think of it, the symbols on the jukebox were the same as the symbols on playing cards. Could Oyaji have..." </p><p>Then it clicked.</p><p>Kaito carefully put everything back in place, exiting the walk-in closet with a lingering thought of <em>'i'll be back',</em> then jogs to his room to face the full body portrait of Kuroba Touichi.</p><p>He reaches to the north and feels a very, <em>very</em>, small indent of a... letter? No wait... a <strong>number</strong>.</p><p>"Seven...?"</p><p>His other hand drift towards the top hat, just below it's onyx ribbon, "...One..."</p><p>Then to the dove's beak resting on his left hand, "Four."</p><p>He searches for the missing clue around the picture, along the frames, the sides, and the very corners. Kaito contemplates about the last number, stares long and hard at his father's figure.</p><p>"Where is it Oyaji..." He mutters out, as though Touichi could answer him right here and now.</p><p>"Right! There's also the other side. Why didn't I think of this sooner?" Kaito fumbles for the combination on the frames, pressing his weight on them before letting go of the last one to avoid an early fall into the workshop. The painting rotates horizontally before the image of the first Kaitou Kid replaces the magician.</p><p>He fondly smiles at the shadowed face of the thief, "You're still flamboyant up to this day, huh, Kid the First?" The teenager brushes his fingers against the monocle—</p><p>Kaito pursed his lips, sucking in a deep breath, "Nine... Okay, now I see the pattern."</p><p> </p><p>One. Seven. Nine. Four.</p><p> </p><p>The Queen of Hearts. Ace of Clubs. Knight of Spades. The Joker.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>But why did Kuroba Touichi pick four specific cards from the depth? Obviously, it was to send a message to Kaito, no surprise there. He knows that every Kuroba's specialty lies in the production of disguises, riddles and secrets. So double-triple-quadruple meanings were practically customary. Maybe his father was trying to tell him something that can't be accessed through the voice recording stored in the jukebox, something that when spoken out loud, someone would go after his family.</p><p>Kaito suppressed the urge to shiver. Right. Poker face. Hunt the bugs manually, only use poison as insurance. He goes to crack the mystery to keep animal codenames and  black trench coats from invading his mind.</p><p>The number 'One' was supposed to resemble the Ace but instead his father turned it into a Queen. Right. Backtrack, recall, confirm. The Heart was known to be a symbol of love. Of life and relationships. The first roman number pertained to 'desire' and 'hope'. A Queen is... a woman of authority, sometimes the second in command, the King's wife or consort. She's also a mother... the light of a home, a woman of action.</p><p>Oh. <em>Ohhh</em>.</p><p>Bingo.</p><p>Next was Seven. A lucky number. It represents wisdom, secret, suspicion, analysis. Placed and isolated on the top...it could be considered the Ace. But he knew that wasn't it. The Club or clover... also known as the "key", was charming, also lucky...</p><p>Wait. Clover?</p><p>Ah. His conjecture was correct. The pieces are falling into place. Just how dramatic Oyaji could be? Kaito thought as a bittersweet smile forms on his lips.</p><p>Nine is also known as 'suffering', black resembles something concealed, hidden in the shadows, or evil. The Knight was an upstanding guard in the King's court. So maybe, the 'knight' was something more of a morally-grey character. A chivalrous... man who bore suffering and pain like a medal.</p><p>Lastly, the Joker. A wildcard. The Trickster or the Fool. 'Zero' in the Arcana Deck. The end. How did he tie in the sequence altoge—</p><p>Magician.</p><p>That's it!</p><p>Kaito pushes past the portrait with his shoulder while sporting a manic grin, falling down the spiraling chute that led to one of his favorite sanctuaries. He barely landed on the leather chair of the KID workshop when the teenage magician dashed forwards to the glowing jukebox.</p><p><em>'La mémoire d'un doux passé'</em> began to play nostalgic notes of jazz, the large disc having been randomly selected among his father's collection. (The machine almost had a mind of its own, Kaito mused the other day. He had noticed that music always seemed to activate upon his arrival after all. Probably because it was a default system his father had installed for his enjoyment when he used to be KID.)</p><p>The Spade. Diamond. Clover. A large, cursive of the letter "K" on the center. A Heart. Another Clover, Diamond then a Spade</p><p>Below those symbols were alternating blue and silver buttons, to which, Kaito had no idea what those did until today.</p><p>He takes in a deep breath and begins to input what he's gathered.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. the first entry; Un</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>short chapter because yes.<br/>Touichi's point of view here seems too formal but i cant imagine him as anything else. well, its formal at first before he starts listing his frustrations and experiences lol<br/>Also im not sure how he addressed Jii so ill go with "Konosuke-san"<br/>i cant write romance stuff to save my life. pls bear with me here</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In retrospect, Kaito should have seen it coming. What with the limited technology back then as well as his father's tendency to do things that are western and old-school, it shouldn't be much of a surprise. It wasn't that he was worried about what the jukebox held inside, but the contents of the thing his Oyaji wanted him to see. To <em>read</em>.</p><p>He found an envelope tucked in between the pages of an old leather-bound book in western binding with the gold embossing of the words '<em>Victor de la Brigaide Mondaine'</em> on the front. Kaito snorted at the Arséne Lupin reference. <em>Always the fanatic eh Oyaji?</em> He thought as he set his hands to reach for the piece of paper that fluttered to the floor.</p><p>He had picked it up and flipped it twice to see if it was layered, smelled or textured differently or maybe if it had a hidden marking. He found none. The letter was tinged with yellow on the sides, signifying how old the book was.</p><p>Written in fine print and Vigenére Cipher text, Kaito took a few minutes to mentally recall the lessons he had with his Oyaji on cracking codes. Figuring the text out came easy like drinking water, familiar and usual since his father had him solving sooooo many puzzles and mysteries back then.</p><p>At first he thought it would be boring, but then it was... kinda fun. Making them even more so.</p><p>His father even suggested that he make versions of his own, before creating new ones for originality. From what he's gathered since he was little about his family name, the Kurobas specialized in the creation of illusion, disguises and codes. Thus, it wasn't surprising when their relatives were associated with the police but not outright affiliated.</p><p>Kaito remembers Kudou Yuusaku, one of the few people his father considered an honest to goodness friend and sort-of family. He was a writer, yet also a very good friend of Megure-keibu. With the man as his friend, the Kudou family had good connections. Spanning from a few politicians in Japan to renowned businessmen owning international corporations, the family was somewhat privy to a few of the illegal workings of the world's side too. Come to think of it was Kudou Yuusaku only a world famous novelist and a former assistant to the police or could he be involved in something deeper...? Oh well, a little research later wouldn't hurt.</p><p>Ah, his wife became his father's student at one point too. It wouldn't be much of a surprise that his father's intel had been Yukiko-san's careless idle chatter or a bug planted on her. Though his father wouldn't resort to plans like that, it wasn't outside the realm of possibility. There was another student his Oyaji took on, one that gave him bad vibes when he met her after his show in Berlin. Sharon Vineyard was her name. He wasn't an expert in disguise or faking his expressions back then but he knows when someone is putting up a front.</p><p>He told himself - <em>convinced</em> himself at that time that maybe he was just being paranoid. That his gut was wrong and the woman who smiled so genuinely around Yukiko-san and his Oyaji was someone who wanted to prove themselves in life.</p><p>(Now, he regrets not telling his father about his suspicions on 'Sharon Vineyard'.)</p><p>Just after giving a thorough research on the Bell Tree Express incident, did his theories become true much to his horror.</p><p>Kaito had needed to confirm it from his little critic when he pressed the boy for further details on what happened or what he might have missed and the culprits behind it. Oh and it took him so <em>long</em> to get it out of the boy that when he mentioned validating his thoughts...<em>directly</em> to the origin did Meitantei relent.</p><p>
  <em>"Her codename is Vermouth and she's... she's involved with <strong>them</strong>."</em>
</p><p>That one statement alone that had been said through his detective's tracing on his palm had confirmed every suspicion. This woman... who once had been under his father's tutelage was using his lessons for <em>killing</em> people. And has been living for more than a few decades... <em>Decades</em> which, people were supposed to live in with their families instead of six feet under...</p><p>Searing hot rage coils around his limbs that night but he schooled his poker face to avoid the scrutiny under Tantei-kun's eye. He placed Vermouth on his list of people to take down as third place. Snake would always get the honor of being first place after all. The following nights after learning more of the "deceased" Sharon Vineyard(no matter how little the information he had gathered), Kaito was willing to hunt her down no matter what it took. No one. Absolutely <em><strong>no one</strong></em>. Gets to drag his father's name in the mud and get away with it just. like. <strong>that</strong>. </p><p>Oops, he's drifted into the darkest parts of his mind has he? </p><p>Breaking free from his brief reminisce, Kaito decodes the letter in less than fifteen minutes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Kaito, in this notebook you will find more words of advice that I cannot give in the form of a recording. I only put those most important in the jukebox because the smaller details are apt to be more dangerous. I feel immense guilt for hiding such secrets from you but not getting you involved in my affairs for as long as possible was something I didn't regret. Now I want to come clean to you and tell you everything I did as International Criminal #1412. As to why I am writing this...</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Well, time is of the essence you know? We Kurobas must always have backup plans and emergency plans to keep us ahead of the game. I hope that this "guide" will help you to avoid further mistakes in the future as well as learn of our ancestry. Keep in mind that only our blood alone must lay their eyes upon this book. Otherwise, the people we love will be in danger. Kaitou KID has made many enemies in the form of fellow criminals and law enforcers from different nations after all. The walls not only have ears but eyes too.</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em>Feel free to burn this notebook after reading it. Out of spite or secrecy, the choice is yours. I knew I was going to die and yet I let it happen. I just didn't know </em>when<em>. Whether you have donned the monocle or not by now, I want you to know that I'm really sorry. For hurting you, for lying, for forcing you into a role you didn't deserve. </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>My reasons for pursuing Pandora shall be stated here, in between these pages. From what I have found out, our family's link to the gem is closer than we thought. I just hope I'll be able to find it before Snake does. I don't want you risking your life for things that I should have ended when I could. Being KID feels taxing... yet you can't help but crave whenever your blood sang from the thrill. Sometimes I'll wake up with nightmares, of things I can't comprehend. Well, I'll state those for later here in this guide.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>As of now, I can only take solace in your babbles and those cute smiles whenever I show you a trick. I'm exhilarated and proud to know that you're my son. Honored even.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Just in case I'm gone if you are reading this, then your mother must be overseas coping for the loss. Don't tell her anything written in this notebook that might cause her to cry. I don't want that. Jii is more of an assistant than our pillar of emotional support... if you get what I mean. Then, the world is against KID - me or you - without anyone we could depend on, we could only rely on ourselves to pull our plans off. Even if I'm not really there by your side, I understand every emotion you've felt under the 'poker face'. I'm only human too after all. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I know it's lonely, trust me, it is. But just like how I found your mother, someday you'll find someone you will wholeheartedly love and care for too. If that person manages to break through that mask, you'll know that they're the one you're looking for.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Until then, remember my words of advice and continue to do what needs to be done.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I'll be with you as always.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Kuroba Touichi</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>For a few moments, Kaito just reads. And reads, and reads, and repeats the letter until he was biting his lower lip, knuckles white and crumpling the fragile paper in his hands. The current bearer of Kaitou Kid's name looks up with his eyes closed, before a long, shuddering exhale was let out. </p><p><em>Who knew a 'treasure hunt' could lead someone to tears? How pathetic.</em> A weary grin spreads across his face as though he could fool the deity watching him that he was fine. He was okay. There was nothing wrong.</p><p>Nothing. Wrong.</p><p>A laugh was forced out of his throat, sounding so broken and tired than someone his age ought to be. A ghastly ache intensifies as flashes of fire and tragedy burned the joy and magic he held so close to his chest years ago. Pangs of pain clenched at his heart causing him to bite his lip and squeeze his eyes shut.</p><p><em>Not now.</em> He begs his stupid emotions to calm themselves down. <em>Breathe, just breathe,</em> Kaito tells himself as he inhales lungfuls of air inside his system. He staggers toward the leather chair and promptly plops himself on it without grace.</p><p>He eventually calms himself down, taking a moment or two to process things, barely avoiding a dark path down memory lane. Thankfully, it didn't take long for him to shake the bad thoughts off.</p><p>The letter was back in the little pouch on the end of the book, tucked for safe keeping. Meanwhile, the object itself was held in Kaito's hands enduring a critical gaze. He was skeptical yet curious because hearing—or rather, studying explanations what the previous Kaitou Kid did behind the curtains of his 'international debut' was different compared to reading about old news articles, videos and sightings regarding the thief. He had only guessed and assumed a few mechanisms of the tricks that were caught on camera no matter how grainy it was taken.</p><p>To have it explained and probably confirmed by the man himself in the form of a 'guide' was something else entirely. Kaito admits that he's practically vibrating with excitement at the prospect of learning from his father and improving his skills. Although it wasn't in a way of face to face mentorship, it was still close nonetheless.</p><p>By opening the first few pages, he could already imagine Oyaji's stern but encouraging gaze, ready to criticize and correct Kaito's sleight of hand. A grin starts to form on his lips. The magician begins to read the first entry of the guide, eager to know what pushed Kuroba Touichi for him to aid his mother in thievery.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>23rd of July XXXX</p><p>Paris, France </p><p> </p><p>I met a woman today at one of my friends' art exhibitions, it was about two in the afternoon. Only giving me a polite smile in return for my greeting. She was beautiful but so were the other women in the gallery. So I thought of nothing on her and continued to mingle among the guests. </p><p> </p><p>Tonight was supposed to be the first show that I will be holding overseas. Konosuke-san had just picked up the suit that I ordered from an indebted tailor I helped three months ago. It was a homage to the great thief, Arséne Lupin. Due to Monsieur Lupin's redundant use, most people may just wave it off and point out the reference before quickly dismissing it like an afterthought. But I wanted to give the audience something that they would keep their eyes on. Easily remembered but distinguished from the inspiration. Thus, instead of a common black suit, I ordered a white one complete with a top hat, a monocle, and a cane.</p><p> </p><p>I made sure that it had dozens of compartments so that I could expertly store things in while it allowed me to run freely without it weighing me down. </p><p> </p><p>Later, I heard from my friend (who loved to gossip about the guests, especially if they happen to catch his eye) about the woman who had smiled at me earlier. Her name was Mochizuki Chikage, one-fourth french and three-fourths japanese, she was the owner of a quaint little flower shop in <em>Pontoise</em> with a little side job as a model.  I couldn't help but feel that there was something with this woman when she and I had made eye contact for the briefest of moments the second time that day. Her body language was too perfect for her to be considered a 'normal' person after all. I asked my assistant to run a background check on her, saying that I call him an hour later. I found out later on that she was the sole surviving member of her family. Whom were framed for several crimes that they did not commit before being killed when they attempted to release sensitive information about the one who put them in a dire situation. She fled to from country to country, before settling in France, assured that her life may continue peacefully.</p><p> </p><p>About quarter to eight in the evening, she had drugged a waiter and hauled him into - presumably - one of her counterfeit hideouts. I planted a bug on the man of course because she had acted 'too casual' around him. From that point on, I had heard every single secret and plan both Lady Mochizuki and the waiter had. Fortunately, his vision was obscured but there's no telling if he was a seasoned criminal to let himself be captured by the <em>Showa era's Woman of Twenty Faces</em> of all people or he was plainly a fool. Likely the latter. I never bothered to dig up more info on him since he lacked a certain 'hardness' to his gaze to even be a crook. So he was just a normal lackey in the end.</p><p> </p><p>The man was meant to tail the phantom thief but as it turns out he got the wrong person. And so, Phantom Lady herself had taken matters into her own hands to avoid further harm on innocent people. Apparently, she was being used as a means for the production of fake historical artifacts to sell for those connoisseurs willing to dabble with the black market. Chikage-san had no means of asking for help to clean her name because she had no associates in the first place and that her alter ego had been used too many times already that copycats blurred the lines of truth and lie. </p><p> </p><p>Phantom Lady was one who stole from the corrupt and wealthy, exposing their deeds before turning in the money or artifact that was stolen. Meanwhile, the frauds had twisted her image into someone who used gore to scare the police into submission, forcing her to copy the deceit to stay true to her name. Ironic isn't it?</p><p> </p><p>Recalling the slaughter of her family, I realized that it was her against the world. Fighting to do good and bring criminals to justice all the while she herself was one. The murder of her family had the police turn a blind eye on the case, causing Lady Mochizuki to fabricate Phantom Lady into existence.</p><p> </p><p>And now, the very night I was to perform will be her end.</p><p> </p><p>I certainly WILL NOT let that happen even if it means causing my once in a lifetime chance to be a recognized magician go up in smoke.</p><p> </p><p>I wanted to help her, I realized because I felt rage, sorrow, and ache on her behalf. I want to save her from her fate. Protect this strong woman who had endured so much pain in her life. Years of loneliness without someone whom you could trust, always watching your back because no one was there to help you, losing everything you love, leaving nothing but bittersweet memories of days gone by. My heart ached for her because knowing what she'd been through had caused me to feel so strongly for her.</p><p> </p><p>At that point, a plan to secure Lady Mochizuki's life formed inside my head. </p><p> </p><p>I had my assistant hack into the blueprints, collect information and plan a rendezvous point while I rushed to go ahead of the Eiffel tower without alerting the police. I was running out of time so I had no choice but to use the white suit to hide my identity. The layout for the lasers surrounding the whole floor had been sent to me ahead of time; a good thing I had memorized it since I had no equipment of my own.</p><p> </p><p>Then the rest was history. It was my debut as the "Gentleman in White" and Phantom Lady's farewell to the world. My first heist to ever steal a gem and not give it back. A place inside my jewelry box. This precious gem alone that I was able to call mine had me finally decided to pursue a life of thievery. If only, to steal Phantom Lady's spotlight so she could rest, safe and sound under my care. I would keep up the act for about four years before ending the show. </p><p> </p><p>As simple as that. But until then, I'd have to tell Konosuke-san about my future plans. </p><p> </p><p>Was it love at first sight?</p><p> </p><p>Absolutely not. I'm not shallow as to fall for appearances only.</p><p> </p><p>Though I couldn't deny that Phantom Lady had ensnared my heart along the way. I don't need to elaborate as to why these feelings are here. I can't find the words to even describe it.</p><p> </p><p>When things had settled down and I escorted her to one of the tunnels of Paris that lead her to a temporary hideout, I had said: </p><p> </p><p>"The moon is beautiful tonight, isn't it?"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>End of Entry 23:49, 25th of July XXXX</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"O-ya-jiiiiii," Kaito's groan was muffled into the chair's arm, and had turned into an unhealthy shade of red by the time he had finished his father's tale. "You're so cheesssyyyy. Ughhhhh, if Kaa-san ever reads this, she absolutely won't shut up oh my god. It's a good thing you kept this from her or else that time I returned Ryouma's treasures were going to be one of my most embarrassing heists." </p><p>His father may have had flirtatious tendencies that were mostly accompanied by movie clichés or dramaticism with his mother from time to time but to outright speak of sincere feelings...</p><p>Yep. He needs ten layers of poker face if someone were to ask about his parents' love life. Maybe an additional five so he can't internally scream and will the blush to a minimum. He was SO not going to France anytime in the future soon. People might mistake him for Touichi and talk about the honeymoon his parents had planned after their marriage in America or that one time his father had come to his own show disheveled with a smug Mrs. Kuro—</p><p>Stop! Bad brain, stop thinking damnit. Don't recall Chikage-san's stories <em>now</em>. This is just so embarrassing. Wow. Why is his life like this.</p><p>Typical teenage awkwardness aside, it was... sweet of his father to help his mother in her time of struggle and save her just in time. He smiles at those rare times when his parents had intimate moments inside their home. His dad's head placed against his mother's shoulder while he wrapped his arms around her waist and his mother did the dishes or those tender forehead kisses whenever his mother was fast asleep on the couch with piles of documents on the coffee table. Kaito would always be hiding in a corner or silent as he observed his parents take comfort in each other.</p><p>There were also times when it was just the two of them and Oyaji was attending to a few matters in his job, Kaa-san would tell Kaito to grow up and be a strong, and kind gentleman. One who helped old ladies cross the street or carry their bags, respecting women, then being friendly with everyone he meets, being polite and charming girls with a smile. Kaito - eager as he was for praise as a child - had brightened up at that idea. When his father heard about it, he only advised his son to 'be himself' and not force himself to be something he doesn't want to be.  He took his words to heart but he wanted to be his Kaa-san's ideal "gentleman" too so the concept wasn't really shoved aside completely. </p><p>Luckily, being a gentleman came easy to him. He's a Kuroba after all, and Kurobas are very good at playing the roles they take up on (despite the fact that no one in their family was an actor, which a young Kaito had questioned and got waved off much to his dismay.) While other boys his age had laughed at him for being a "mama's boy" because he acted too obedient with women, Kaito surprisingly got a few favors from the girls and old women he'd helped.</p><p>Some of the girls his age even had a crush on him when all of them were just as tall as an office desk, the older ladies meanwhile had helped themselves to cooing praises at him. Then puberty happened and now he's the "chivalrous pervert" of Ekoda High bound to cause mayhem in his wake. Despite the initial embarrassment he might have gotten from it, he doesn't really mind helping out everyone in the neighborhood as long as they weren't insistent. Plus it provides for him a chance to be helpful. He'll still cause mischief and prank on everybody though. Because that's something he won't give up on.</p><p>Now, though. Hiding a second identity as an internationally wanted criminal changed a lot of things. Like he can't jog around the area for fear of cameras as often as he liked to, or that every Tuesday after school, he'd go help out Nakashima-san with his bizarre inventions, or go greet Hamasaki-obaachan and her cat. Kaito even refrained from touching surfaces in public if he could help it. He knew he couldn't wear gloves all the time because that alone would rise suspicions he doesn't want a repeat of again. His habits for erasing evidence were applied on disposable objects too. For example he'd wipe off the rim of the bubble tea's cup before washing it thoroughly inside a public bathroom. (He really should stop being paranoid.)</p><p>Remembering those times when he wasn't KID during the full moon made him miss it. The mundane stuff that kept him sleepy from just doing a carefree window shopping with Aoko... well, it made him long for a normal life. Not that he was complaining about the adrenaline rush, and battles of wit that came along with KID's regalia. He loved being chased after all.</p><p>He leaned against the chair, limp and taking a breather.</p><p>In a moment of clarity, Kaito suddenly hears faint ringing from above. Come to think of it, the sound was on repeat for almost an hour now.</p><p>Wait what? Ringing? For an hour? He feels his pockets before his mind came to a screeching halt.</p><p><em>Crap</em>.</p><p>His eyes widened before scrambling to return the notebook back to the jukebox's body and had shut it with haste. He sprints towards the winding staircase and exits the workshop. The teenager had emerged from his wardrobe and dove to his bedsheets, feeling for his phone in a mantra of <em>where is it, where is it, wh-AHA!</em></p><p>He presses the call button remembering to distance the gadget away from his ear.</p><p>"<em>BAKAITO!!! I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD ALREADY!"</em></p><p>Kaito winced and took on a placating tone. "Sorry Aoko! I just got distracted from practicing this new trick I found." He checks the time on the clock from across his room, 7:25 PM. <em>Great. You skipped dinner. Way to go, Kuroba. Aoko's gonna have your head presented to Hakuba.</em></p><p>"You practiced a single trick the whole day inside your house when you don't even mute your phone. You getting distracted would be the day Hakuba-kun claims that he hates Sherlock Holmes and that's saying something because I've heard of nothing but the insane amount of detective references he mentions every. single. day. Not mentioning his favorite cosplay since thats a given already."</p><p>How she said that in one breath... Kaito wasn't gonna ask. Women were dangerous creatures after all.</p><p>He suppressed a cringe, "Ahehe, come on Aoko... you know how tired I am whenever I do my tricks..." He made sure to pout so his best friend could hear it too.</p><p>She sighed exhaustedly, "Next time you make me call you twenty two times again, I'll have you get banned in your favorite sweets shop."</p><p>WHAT.</p><p>OH NO. NONONONONO.</p><p>Kaito whimpered, genuinely because he will do ANYTHING for his beloved candy. Because he also knows the power Aoko holds over Tsuki-obaasan's heart and when it comes to Kaito and his consumption of sweets. (Despite being the owner, Aoko was the one controlling his sugar intake and thats so unfair because how come she gets to have like bags of them whenever she gets home?? <em>Meanie Ahoko</em>.)</p><p>"Aokooo pleasee not thaaat. I won't repeat it again I promise. Please don't ban me <em>there</em>."</p><p>"Uh huh. Sure. Well, come get dinner then since it's only take out. But you have to heat it up yourself. Oh and be back by the time I get there. Tou-san needs help carrying the groceries."</p><p>The call got ended followed by a few consecutive beeps. Kaito sighed and dropped his head on the pillow. Exhaustion was finally catching up to him, the events of the day finally wearing him out. He feels so <em>tired</em>, he could fall asleep and his bed is so comfy and warm and so—</p><p>Wait.</p><p>Hold on for a moment.</p><p>Did his doves come back home safe??</p><p>With a grunt, Kaito hauls himself to his balcony to go over to his beloved doves' cages, turning on the light switch in the process. "Doyle? Irene? Magia, Hana? You there?" He whistled when he closed the distance. Soft cooing reached his ears and four doves had fluttered over to him, clinging on to the wooden perch. He let out a relieved sigh before opening the cage. </p><p>The four wasted no time in taking a spot on his shoulders or his head and for Doyle to clutch at his forearm. "Sooo care to tell me about your day with Meitantei? Was it fun? Did the Shounen Tantei take good care of you?" The bird in front of him nuzzled his nose in agreement while the others cooed with approval. He laughed lightly feeling loved by his birds, and warmth blooms inside his chest, "Aww, but remember to stay loyal to me okay? Our heists would be a disaster if you suddenly leave me..." He made sure to pout while caressing Doyle's feathers.</p><p>The one on top of his head, Hana, began to preen his hair. Irene and Magia contentedly settled on either of his shoulders while Doyle made himself comfortable on his forearm.</p><p>Truly, he didn't deserve such creatures of affection.</p><p>"Well, seeing as you four missed me, let's have a dinner date at Aoko's!"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kuroba Kaito's first day in unlocking more secrets of the past as well as understanding more about being a phantom thief, ends in the magician nearly getting cardiac arrest at the sight of fish as his dinner for the night and a smug childhood friend that was busy feeding four lovely birds to even care about the teenager's collapse on the couch.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>+bonus:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As much as he loathed to admit it, the thief makes really good coffee despite not being a caffeine person. Good <em>black</em> coffee. The aroma was rich and addicting enough to keep him alert and awake too. It's bitterness just curled around his tongue just <em>right</em>. Kudou Shinichi made himself comfortable by lounging in his library, reading Sherlock Holmes for the nth time, savoring his hot drink while being accompanied a soothing cooing.</p><p>If only that thief was a barista instead of a criminal would he consider helping him out in any way he can. Too bad he's on the other side of the law.</p><p>"Kudou-kun, you should have told me that Kaitou Kid was delivering beverages to you in a grandiose manner." The girl that had the same predicament as him popped out of nowhere, leaning against the doorframe causing his drink to nearly be spat out through his nose. Ohhh my <em>godwhyisshehereholycrap-</em></p><p>"H-Haibara?! I-It's not wha you thi-" Quickly, he shooed the birds away but was met with resistance. He was so <em>doomed</em>. Shinichi should have known that not even the Kudou Mansion was safe when it comes to <em>Haibara</em> of all people. Here he thought he was gonna get a break and some alone time from being 'Edogawa Conan'. So much for Sunday plans...</p><p>"Can I at least know their names before you start denying things as usual?" She neared him and held out a treat to the doves behind him. They enthusiastically nibbled on it before one hopped to perch on her arm. Haibara took it as a sign to pet the creature.</p><p>"Er, ugh fine... The one you're holding is Magia. Then this here is Hana, Irene, and Doyle." He pointed to each of the birds.</p><p>"... They're cute... especially this one. If Kaitou Kid wants to keep in contact with you, make sure that... Magia here comes along." There was a soft look on her face that seems to uncharacteristic he can't believe she's capable of that expression. The bird was nuzzling into her cheek, and making itself at home in her hands. Pfft. Kid's gonna be so pissed off when he finds out his birds' loyalty is torn. Shinichi can't just wait to tease him with it. And why the hell was Haibara suddenly in charge of who he spent time with anyway?</p><p>"Heh. A favorite already? Thought you were hard to get." Haibara glared at him then shrugged. "It's not often I see or touch doves this affectionate. Might as well take the opportunity."</p><p>Doyle climbed to perch on the top of his head, nestling there looking content. Who knew Kid had such good, intelligent birds? He was so lucky to have Doyle.</p><p>The detective smiled warmly at her and the creatures. "Yeah..."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i barely know abt Vermouth and Chikage's past so im just theorizing things as they come. Can you expect me to watch practically 1k worth of episodes? No.<br/>Chikage-san's focus was on her mission rather than Touichi allowing her to think that she met him at the Eiffel tower(just to clarify).</p><p>Mochizuki- "full moon"</p><p>Victor Brigaide Dela Mondaine- aka "The Return of Arséne Lupin"</p><p>The moon is beautiful tonight, isn't it? / tsuki ga kirei desu ne - could be read as 'i love you' in Japanese</p><p>kudos and feedback are appreciated ^^. Havent finished the manga so I have to catch up,,<br/>feel free to drop your thoughts and theories^^ i barely know anyone whos willing to discuss with me about headcanons and stuff on Magic Kaito</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. about a child's toy; deux</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>english isnt my first language. sorry for the mistakes.</p><p>People with 400 IQ and a photographic memory to boot are probably born as fast learners. They can be good at the things they have skills on but they can't master it so they can balance all the things they've learned.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next time Kaito began to read his "guide" was just a week later after finding it. It was one of those unusual days where the day seems to be slow despite the amount of shenanigans his life seemed to conjure up. Hakuba was stuck on a case in London, Akako was too busy being that 'mysterious beauty' or something... And Aoko was hanging out more with Keiko-chan. The guys in his class were close enough for a hang out or two but he didn't really feel fully comfortable with them. </p><p>Kaito could always visit the little detective, but he's been too close lately that he needs to give an appropriate time interval for a 'random visit'. Even Kaito doesn't know who may be tailing him during his 'scouting in the skies' activity.</p><p>There were also reports of KID being active lately all because he decided to hang around in rooftops and enjoy the cool breeze that seemed to wash away his troubles and too many thoughts. So he'd have to tone those down much to his disappointment. Who was he kidding, he's just being sentimental. Which... didn't really happen often but when you're an internationally wanted criminal who doesn't even know his own family origins and struggling enough juggling both identities, it just gets you thinking a lot you know?</p><p>It was uncharacteristic of Kaito to be... distracted. Considering he was the type to think on the run, not think, sit and have an existential crisis.</p><p>Now he's back in the workshop, too busy trying to find a comfortable seat on an old leather chair before settling for placing his legs on one arm and his upper half on the other.</p><p>He skipped over the entries, deciding to save them for later. He doesn't want to find out more secrets that would leave him emotionally exhausted in the middle of a Saturday night after all. Kaito flips to a section of the notebook with a page titled "<em>Les Conseils</em>".</p><p>Figures his dad really loved France, or any Lupin references for that matter. He fondly snorts before diverting his attention back to the notebook.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Read, Kaito, and read this well. It may seem obvious already, but I need to point out this matter because it will always be crucial in a magic show or in a heist.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>1. "If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected .” —Sun Tzu, The Art of War</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I know quoting isn't really much of an advice but do consider that this came from the mind of a strategic genius. Back when it was only a time of swords and armor, of betrayal and bloodshed. Well, his advice for those in his time is no more different than for our era today. People will always be people after all.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The meaning of his words are stated clearly so you won't have trouble applying it to your life. I don't mean this literally though if that's what you're thinking. Use every single variable inside your stage to your advantage. You are the conductor of the music, the showman of the night. If another tries to take control, you know what to do.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>As KID, you control your displays, manner of thievery, and plan out each action you take. As a stage magician, the props and your audience’s senses are at your fingertips.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There's no difference at first glance. KID was a magician and a magician could easily be a thief when prompted to. But do a double take and you'll see.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I know for sure that the image you'll project on Kaitou Kid is that of a magician prankster. It's good to add a bit of your own flair but straying afar just a little bit from the original can cause repercussions on both identities. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>No, I won't list those down, but I'll put it in conclusion for you: do tone the pranks down to a minimum. Some people may get more than irritated at harmless jokes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That aside, can you do it Kaito? Performing for an audience, leading the police in circles, playing a game with your rival, all the while teasing a serpent and its crows? The art of misdirection is hard to do when you have to juggle balls of fire and spikes while trying to deceive a child that you have his 'nose'. As much as I hate to put you in KID's position, I certainly hope you'll be able to pull it off. But don't be afraid to ask for help. KID may be a lone wolf, but that doesn't mean his civilian persona has to be one too. That's something you have to keep in mind.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I know the Kaitou KID and Kuroba name is heavy to bear when you want to live up to it’s expectations, but once you forget that and start having fun, you’ll show everyone just what you’re made of.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Showing them what I'm made of..." Kaito echoed the words stated in the notebook before reading Sun Tzu's quote again. He knew what his father was trying to convey. Why he picked that advice to be put here in this notebook as well as mentioning his— <em>KID's</em> multitasking job.</p><p>His father said that magic wasn't a battle. Kaito agreed and followed it. Thus reviving Kid's famous 'No one gets hurt' policy along the way. What wasn't a battle however was against Snake and people like Spider. Like <em>them</em>.</p><p>The ones who were seeking to taint Kid's reputation and enact their revenge were naturally his enemies too. Kaito knew he couldn't let the people responsible for his father's death go, but once Kid has put Snake and his branch behind bars, <em>what about the rest of the Organization?</em></p><p>One section that only dabbled in the Occult wouldn't be much of a loss to a nation-wide syndicate. Let alone a man who only followed orders from several minor higher ups and not directly to their boss. They would still continue their activities in the shadows regardless of losing a limb. They tend to grow fast after all. The 'Snake' that was his father's killer would be replaced by another, probably more cunning and dangerous. Thus, if he gets killed, it would only be a cycle of pain and regret for him. For his family.</p><p>Kaito needs for it to end. This metaphorical juggling and fooling because once you used a trick once, you can't use it twice. He knew that planning a single heist would be equivalent to running buck naked in the face of raining poisonous arrows. He knew that being the target alone would be suicide. Snipers, moles in the task force, and surprise visits from Snake were things he wants to stop. However, if they start to bring in civilians in the picture, well, they can only hope that Kaitou Kid has the mercy to not go in their organization undetected and bring out half of their crimes to light heavy enough to put everyone involved to a life sentence.</p><p>No one has ever caught the infamous Kaitou Kid for years after all and Kaito will live up to that.</p><p>Kaito sighs and briefly glances to the last few lines of the first advice. Has he really been worried on upholding titles like that? Basically, yeah. Pretty much. What would you do if someone fake claiming to be you takes the attention of your audience and declares a heist notice knowing that the real one was going to do it all along? Well, the answers are obviously there, if unspoken. Good thing Kid's fans were crazy enough to differentiate his calling cards from counterfeits.</p><p>He knows he shouldn't involve himself in the life of crime, he was just a teenager after all. People would say that he ought to bring criminals to justice through the law or some other self-righteous crap.  Well, would society listen to you if you claim to see ghosts or you could turn invisible? Obviously, the answer is no. Some would believe you if they cared enough but who would care for a murder that was previously seen as an accident that happened eight years ago? A cold case marked as an accident, closed and filed away in the drawers of Division One's records room. Nobody would listen nor understand, thus you have to do things yourself to get the desired results. Even if he told the police, the secret of his family being thieves would render him to be under suspicion too. Kaito doesn't want to elaborate any further since he was already on thin ice with constant exposure to Nakamori-keibu and some Black Org agents, not to mention a few of INTERPOL's own.</p><p>Kaito had considered his options before taking on Kaitou Kid's monocle. Not every civilian has had the chance of inheriting an international criminal's name and at the same time be crazy enough to be in the line of fire all the time. Pros were if he pulled this right, he could avenge his father and smash that cursed gem to pieces. Cons were... getting killed, arrested, injured, risking his identity, wanted by police, possibly but not hopefully dirtying his hands, and all around cautiousness twenty-four-seven. </p><p>Yeah, being an idiot who has an IQ of 400, Kaito sure knows how to make his life hard. On the bright side though, he has the support of his mother and Jii-chan no matter what decision he chose, Aoko and Nakamori-keibu still looked out for him (although his alter ego got hated, he was willing to hurt their feelings for his goals. Kaito could only hope that he could prolong the secret long enough for Kid to disappear quietly in their lives), he was also doing academically well. </p><p>The young magician understands that if he's only done a few recon missions, research jewels thoroughly, he could cut time for himself and be done with it. Snake would be apprehended and Pandora could be possibly found. Although, that would mean for Kid's regalia to be stored inside the workshop, frozen in time and displayed as an antique. But Kaito knows, <em>knows</em> that playing the role of the elusive phantom thief is special to him. In a way where, he just feels a tad bit closer to his father more than keeping a portrait of him. Especially now that... he wasn't there anymore.</p><p>Kaito yawns and closes the notebook with much more gentleness than usual. He returns it inside the jukebox, snapping the small double doors shut on its body. He goes to switch off the lights, only to be stopped by a peculiar sheen on the third layer of the black shelf beside the switch.</p><p>"That's weird... I swear this didn't exist when I first got here."</p><p>His hand searches for that irregularity etched weirdly on the rack. Kaito felt something squarish and plastic, but thin and larger than his palm.</p><p>Taking it into his hand and once he retracted his arm, Kaito tilts his head in curiosity at the sight of a blue CD in a plastic covering.</p><p>It had no scratches on its body, a bit old considering its likely been there for years and he hadn't just picked it up. His brain registers this as maybe one of the files the first Kaitou Kid has compiled and had left it in plain sight for Kaito to get ahold of. But he was too tired to think as of now, well, no problem with that since he plans to sleep in 'till its near noon.</p><p>The teenage magician yawns again, pockets the hard-drive, exits the workshop with the lights closed. As soon as he emerges form his closet, Kaito drags his feet to his bed and wormed his way under the covers. He fell asleep in a matter of seconds.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The next day was Sunday which was supposed to be the one day in the week where he got to sleep in but Kaito got rudely woken up by a childhood best friend incessantly calling him from her balcony. Embarrassed enough for their morning routine, (even though their neighbors had learned to accept their dynamic) Kaito dragged himself out of bed and fixed his untamable hair to the best of his abilities. </p><p>After muttering "Pardon my intrusion..." when he toed his shoes off on the genkan, the scent of tamagoyaki and miso soup greeted him at the doorway of his friend's household, prompting his feet to move to the dining area. He knew Aoko has been improving her cooking skills, especially on western food, but damn did she make a good japanese meal. </p><p>Nakamori-keibu was reading the newspaper while he sipped at his coffee. He looked up and greeted Kaito with a warm welcome, "'Morning Kaito-kun."</p><p>Still riddled with sleep, he scratched his back and yawned, "Good morning to you to, Keibu, Aoko."</p><p>"Kaito," She said as she placed the rolled eggs into three plates, setting them in their positions at the table. "Haven't you been indoors lately? By now, usually you'd go to Jii-san to help him out."</p><p>Okay. So she noticed. No biggie, just lie like usual Kuroba. His inner self seethed at the word 'lie'. "Can't a guy just stay inside and binge watch anime like any other normal dude?" He began taking the chopsticks, jug of water and cups from one shelf and placed them around the rectangular furniture.</p><p>However, she deadpanned, "Bakaito, you and I both know you're too hyper to 'stay inside and watch'. Even if you did, you'd be inviting your doves to watch with you, which I still saw them inside the cage."</p><p>Damnit, why did she decide to pursue law again? Oh, right, to arrest Kid for her father.</p><p>The man set down the paper, folding it neatly and placing it on the side, "Hoh? It's good to see you being observant Aoko!" Then her father cackled, "We'll be able to catch that thief for sure!" </p><p>His childhood friend beamed at him, "Thanks, Tou-san."</p><p>Kaito rolled his eyes, a retort on the tip of his tongue that Kid was uncatchable for <em>years</em>, but he refrained from doing so. He opted for seating himself on Nakamori-keibu's left side and waited for Aoko to seat across him.</p><p>"Thank you for the food." The three of them said quietly before they dug in. Halfway through the meal, the girl brought up the topic again, "So? What's got Kaito preoccupied lately?"</p><p>His shoulders momentarily froze, before relaxing, <em>poker face, Kaito</em>, "Kaa-san told me to dig up some photos of my great-grandparents," He feigned a sigh of defeat, "But all I found were my parents' vacation and honeymoon memories and Oyaji's old stuff in the closet." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth either. Kaito really had searched all over his house for clues for the jukebox's password and somehow had accidentally found an album that consisted of family bonding and cheesy shots of his parents.</p><p>Yeah, he'd have to put those away later.</p><p>Aoko's eyes gleamed with interest, "Really?" Her plate was settled on the side of the table along with the other dishes. Nakamori-keibu was already upstairs, on a call, judging from the professional tone of his voice. </p><p>"Yes, really." Kaito averted that knowing gaze, sweating a little because the glint in her eyes did NOT  mean well. "Well then," An evil playful smirk grew on his childhood friend's face, sending alarms inside Kaito's head. "You won't mind if Aoko looked too right? We've been friends since forever after all."</p><p>
  <em>This Ahoko! I still need to hide those embarrassing photos of me nearly crying from hang gliding!</em>
</p><p>"S-Sure..." was his hesitant reply. Denying her was as useless as blocking a tsunami with a sand wall. She somehow <em>always</em> has his mother's permission to barge inside his house whenever she wanted to.</p><p>Aoko made her friend clean the table so as to "shorten their time so they can hang out at his place". Which Kaito severely doubted, he knew what her game plan was after all. That being, stalling Kaito so he wouldn’t hide anything from her. Unfortunately, when you go against women, they tend to be more dangerous than getting shot or bombed at. So he very much preferred to antagonize Snake than be the 'enemy of all women'.</p><p>"Oi, Aoko," Kaito whined ten minutes later. "I need to clean myself up too y'know?"</p><p>She went silent for two whole minutes of washing the dishes, then, "Annnd done. All right, let's go!"</p><p>"EH?!"</p><p>Now, the teenager was forced to take a shower while Ahoko hogged the family album. Kaito took a bath as fast as he could because he absolutely does NOT want to be teased by that bimbo about his small self crying on a failed magic trick.</p><p>With a towel around his neck, he goes to the living room seeing his friend sort through the pictures with a fond smile. His heart softened at the sight of Aoko's genuine care for his family. </p><p>"I didn't know Chikage-san had a black belt in Judo and Karate?! Oh my god, are those four gold medals on her chest???" Kaito, for all he knew about his family, chuckled nervously in response. <em>Whatever god is up there watching us, I hope I keep the Woman of Twenty Faces' good graces on my side.</em></p><p>"Kaito, look!" She said as she shoved a picture on his chest, forcing him to take it with exasperation at her abrupt movement. He saw his dad and Kudou Yuusaku beside each other, wearing matching smirks that spoke of friendly-rivalry. Their background was a bookstore's shelf and somehow it wasn't surprising that they're on the 'Mystery' section. While his father held <em>Le Dernier Amour d'Arsène Lupin</em>, Kudou-san had a classic <em>A Study in Scarlet</em> novel on his hand. They were probably in London at that time, since there were a lot of brits in the background of the photo.</p><p>"Hmm, I think they're arguing about whether Holmes will be able to catch Arséne Lupin or not. Fictionally speaking."</p><p>"Who's the guy beside your dad then?"</p><p>"That's Kudou Yuusaku. Y’know, Night Baron's writer?"</p><p>"Oh ye—WAIT WHAT."</p><p>"Pfft, yes." He said as he laughed at his friend's bulging eyes of disbelief with a mouth that gaped wide open. He knew Aoko was recently reading the series, so telling her that his dad was friends with her favorite author was worth seeing the girl doing a further inspection whether it was the real writer or not.</p><p>Kaito found another photo on his pile, this time, he was in the picture. He blinked for a moment before he recalled the events from the time they were staying at North Carolina. He was with his mother, watching people dress up in suits and instructing each other before going to their hang gliders to attach their harnesses. One of them was his father, and his little self was excited to get a preview of Kuroba Touichi's magic trick.</p><p>Before Kaito knew it, his breath was taken away by the expert hang gliding skills of his father. Twists, turns, and dives made it look like Touichi owned the sky, just like he owned the stage.</p><p>By the time he had landed, Kaito was bounding up to him, a small but energetic boy that had stars in his eyes, "Ne, Oyaji! I wanna do that too please!" His father had laughed and ruffled his hair, a large smile quirking the corners of his mouth, "Don't worry, I planned to teach you how to hang glide like a Kuroba should."</p><p>It was scary at first but a bit reassuring since his dad was going to be beside him until he could handle it on his own. It had taken a lot of courage and bravery out of him at that time, leaving him drained but very satisfied by the end of their lesson. Nothing can compare to feeling free, seeing the sights below, and gliding with the person you loved after all.</p><p>A bitter sweet smile curls the corner of his lips. The next time he did hang gliding was Kaitou Kid's return. He may have been rusty considering it was eight years of no practice and getting himself to move on from his father's death. The dull ache when he flew home combined with the tranquility of city lights and dark sky brought out the fond memories with his family at that time. </p><p>"Kaito? You've been spacing out, are you okay?" Aoko, who had put down the album was suddenly beside him, waving a hand in front of his face.</p><p>"I'm fine, don't worry. I just missed my parents s'all." He says as he bats the hand in front of him away, turning just so that his back was facing his friend. She slides back to the couch, staring silently at the back of her childhood friend's head.</p><p>Suddenly, Aoko puffed up her cheeks in displeasure then shifted to a concerned frown, "Kaito, if remembering stuff hurts, we could put this away right now if you want to."</p><p>He shook his head, pausing in his task of sifting through the age-old photos. "Ahokooo I said don't worry, it's fine. 'Sides maybe Chikage-san has an embarrassing photo here that we don't know about." A mischievous grin grows on his face making the girl sigh in playful exasperation.</p><p>Aoko scoffed but a smile was held in place, "Whatever you say Bakaito."</p><p>From shots of Kuroba Touichi performing magic, beautiful scenery behind the three of them or just his parents, to the rare instances of his father looking so much like Kaitou Kid, Kaito was able to recall the memories that brought out fondness of his parents and a phantom pain lingering from the corner of his heart.</p><p>During Kaito's summer break from school, he and Chikage would always book a flight to the country his father stayed at. International shows were amazing considering his dad was able to make people happy around the world, but when he performed in Japan, Kaito couldn't help but feel pride and awe that Touichi would always go back to his home country to perform and see his family.</p><p>Kaito's favorite trip was going to the neighboring countries of Japan. China, Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia, all were sights that he got to enjoy during their short stay. He won't even mention that Europe was absolutely amazing. It was where Touichi started his international debut after all.</p><p>He picks up a photo of his dad and himself, holding an English textbook that translated Japanese words to the foreign language. Kaito remembers this pretty well.</p><p>He was five years old, already learning kanji for middle schoolers, when he asked his father to teach him English. His dad had seriously brought out a textbook out of nowhere without hesitation. Figures, he wanted his son to be bilingual too. Kaito also got signed up for a private cram school, much to his chagrin. It was hard at first, since the pronunciation was wholly different from the west and in their country. He kept getting tongue-tied, trying to follow his dad's perfect accent, but all the while enjoying that he got to spend time with his father even though he's been busy lately. (Of course, it was being Kaitou Kid that got him occupied but his small self didn't know that at that time.)</p><p>Kaito breezed through the translations, memorizing and practicing the words along the way. He had always been something of a fast learner after all. After a few more months, he asked his mother if he could study a few more languages because he also wanted to be multilingual like his dad. Soon, Kaito was proficient in his Japanese, Mandarin and English (he still got tongue-tied if he did English in a conversational manner), a bit above average on French and a beginner on German and Spanish at the age of eight.</p><p>"I still think your German's ridiculous." Kaito jolted and hit his knees on the low coffee table, cursing as pain coursed through him.</p><p>"What the hell Ahoko, don't scare me like that!" He says as he rubs the spots sure to form bruises later.</p><p>"But you were muttering about your memories! I couldn't help it." She giggled and reached out to the photo he was holding. "Seriously though, we rarely talk to foreigners these days and how are you keeping your fluency? Thought maybe you'd finally go dumb." Aoko poked at Kaito's cheek with a teasing lilt to her tone. Her other hand gently held the picture as if it'll crumble to dust if she gripped it tighter.</p><p>He couldn't tell her that he'd been using the lessons to help him in making riddles in heist notices and impersonating foreign jewelry owners in his heists. Kaito was fluent because he hangs around on the western side of Social Media enough to have a grasp on a few slang words of each language he knows. From memes, news, and research, it's safe to say that social media in Japan and the rest of the world only differed by a margin. Plus he'd been caught by her speaking to his mother in French just last month so denying that he forgot all his lessons from his dad was saying as if Nakamori-keibu finally caught Kaitou Kid.</p><p>"Heh. I've got a photographic memory remember? And if I had time, I'd go and play RPGs with people outside Japan, while talking of course." </p><p>Kaito hoped the lie was convincing because he barely has time to make friends outside of his country, and if he did, Kid's identity would be found out sooner than he'll realize. Either through tracking, the foreign gamers finding out, or someone disguised like one, Kaito didn't want to risk it. It was dangerous enough that his international calls with his mom could jeopardize both their lives, and that Kid was known for taking risks, Kaito doesn't want to deal with INTERPOL and the Kid task force pounding at his doorstep.</p><p>However, Aoko snorted and rolled her eyes which made Kaito's heartbeat skip in a bad way, "Pfft, as if you had the ability to do that." Then she flipped a page of the album and scooted over to him.</p><p>"Isn't it kinda weird that your dad has you super busy during the summer?" She asked before pointing to a picture of him on his first day to his French class.</p><p>"Huh? I thought that was normal." Kaito stared at his pictures intently, a genuine curiosity at the thought his friend provided him.</p><p>Aoko started rattling off, gestured by her fingers, "You had like gymnastics class, Aikido on the side, extra language classes, and your dad teaching you oral communication, along with magic tricks. Sure it'd make sense if your dad invested in your studies, but almost all of the... 'extra-curricular' stuff you did during our elementary days won't really be used everyday in our lives."</p><p>Kaito hummed. She had a point though. Why would Oyaji want him to learn a martial art and <em>then</em> learn how to observe people's habits and appearances? He wants to smack himself for not questioning his father why he taught him stuff that no normal seven year old should even know. Much less practice on it. Aoko was only listing the stuff she knew, and that wasn't even half of it.</p><p>The basics of disguise and impression; learning how to skim and scan and put his photographic memory to use; impromptu and realistic situations his father often makes him answer; books on the history of a few countries (which leaned more into Europe and Japan much to the obvious bias his father subtly drops from time to time); sleight of hand tricks that only Kurobas should know; self-defense classes, Kaito even though he rarely got picked on; practicing on how to sneakily prank his classmates without them knowing (secretly encouraged by his dad for an odd reason now that he thought about it); the language classes in case he needed to talk to a foreigner whenever they're outside Japan; people watching with his dad at train stations and busy crosswalks whenever he had free time; practicing on how to stealthily get past his mom so he could hang out with Aoko; his dad taught him how a car works plus the every part of the machine but never let him drive (Kaito learned it just after his 17th birthday, when Jii-chan had suggested it to him even though Japan's age requirement was 18); and then Oyaji taught him how to do lockpicking and—</p><p>Kaito visibly froze.</p><p>"Eh? Kaito? What's wrong?" Aoko's concerned eyes searched his. She placed a hand on his shoulder and the teenager snapped out of his stupor. He blinked, once, twice, at her blue eyes.</p><p>"I-I forgot to help out Jii-chan in repairing his billiards table! Yeah, so um, I need to lock up the house—"</p><p>Aoko had briefly glanced at him with suspicion before it shifted to resigned, "O-Okay then. I'll just...?" She pointed to the direction of the front door's exit and Kaito nodded frantically. He busied his hands in putting back the photos without causing their painstaking sorting to go to waste.</p><p>"See ya tomorrow Ahoko!"</p><p>"Hope you're still alive by then Bakaito!" She whirled around and stuck her tongue out on him in a childish manner before closing the door behind her.</p><p>By the time Kaito had packed up their mess, he crashed on the couch, shoving his face on the pillow. He groaned into it while his hand reached out for the cellphone in his pocket.</p><p>Kaito sat up, hesitating on opening his phone and type out a text to his assistant. He settled for the usual topic.</p><p>
  <em>Hey, Jii-chan! Do you have the apple pie? (Any exhibits this time aorund?)</em>
</p><p>Why they decided that to be their choice of code for their words, Kaito has no idea. Jii-chan replied two minutes later.</p><p><em>Almost done with it Kaito-bocchama.</em> <em>(The equipment is on the way.)</em></p><p>Kaito reluctantly began to type out, <em>Okay then. I'll be there in thirty minutes</em>. <em>(I need to talk to you.)</em></p><p>Usually he'd say 'I'll be there in a hour or two' but saying something along the lines of less than one hour was enough to say that he wants to talk, to discuss on an important matter. Kaito knew that his assistant wasn't thinking about heist-related issues when he'll be coming in 'less than an hour'. Kaito could only hope that the man wasn't busy enough today considering he called so suddenly. His phone didn't receive any messages for a moment, but he had read that Jii had seen the text. Three dots on a speech bubble appeared on the bottom left of the screen, signaling the old man was typing.</p><p>
  <em>The pie would have to wait then. </em>
</p><p>Kaito stares at the message before sighing loudly in the empty house. He dresses up and goes to lock the front door, with a few pictures on hand.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Japan's education system states that parents are willing to invest in extra curricular activities in their children's studies. Elementary students are usually allowed to go home but some schools would have after school activities. Since theyre still children, they only do it once a week. Touichi here had basically signed his son up for an early juku (/academic and nonacademic cram school) for the 'you need to learn this JUST IN CASE youre forced into my problems' course. Albeit, done both at his home and the private cram school he goes to.</p><p>Kaito is smart enough to keep his grades up without the help of cram school, but in a way, Touichi is giving him a semblance of normalcy that wouldn't isolate him from his peers. People with an IQ of more than the average score tend to get pompous around the people they would deem 'less than intelligent' for their level. Im not saying thats wholly true to people with above average intelligence. </p><p>But in Shinichi's case, I just assumed and 'Conan' had changed him in a way so yeah not really true. plus Nobody likes people with arrogant attitudes. If Kaito was arrogant, then he wouldn't have been able to befriend his whole class or the school. (Kid's smug attitude is easy to pull off since he's hardwired to be like that, but constantly lowering yourself to understand people would probably be exhausting to Kaito. Hence, Kid wanting either Hakuba or Shinichi to be his rival/equal in fics.) Thus, by putting Kaito with the rest of his peers, he'd have some humility to his traits.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. breaking under the pressure of; trois</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>tw/spoilers: blood, poor knowledge of suture</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>things added to the fic:<br/>-new summary<br/>-renewed fic title<br/>-actual plot<br/>-more angst<br/>-adjusted dialogue (still in the process) to fit the plot<br/>the fic is a combination of the MK1412 anime and the specials on the DC anime, exceptions of episodes were made and some details were either excluded or included</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Blue Parrot on a Sunday night was the second busiest time of the week as far as Kaito had seen. The times Jii-chan had hosted Happy Hours even more so. It wasn't even night time yet so he hoped that the usual people that frequented Blue Parrot would stall time enough for him to gather and collect his thoughts on what he planned to say to Jii.</p><p>However, by the time Kaito had gotten to the bar, the place was void of customers or the other bar tender the old man had hired months before Kaito became Kid. He paused at the doorway, a faint tinkle from the bell that hung above him. The dying sun's rays were cast upon the mahogany tables and chairs by the window, a glow of nostalgia seemed to wash Kaito's memory.</p><p>Ignoring the sudden déja vu, the teenager pockets his hands in his dark jacket, hoping that the poker face he wore wouldn't crumble the instant they talk.</p><p>Jii has his back facing him, preparing a glass of orange juice for his charge.</p><p>"Hey, Jii-chan." Kaito greeted as he slid onto one of the bar's stools.</p><p>"Kaito-bocchama." The man smiled at him as he placed a coaster below the beverage before him.</p><p><em>Time to get to the point,</em> he says to himself. <em>I'm getting tired of these secrets. No wait, that just makes me a hypocrite.</em></p><p>"Did Dad say something about my um, 'extra-curricular' activities? From when he was still around?" Kaito places down a picture of him and Touichi laughing at his failed attempt of creating a colored smokebomb; another shot of Touichi smirking under his black tophat and performing a trick; and another picture of Kaito getting caught picking his mother’s drawer lock open.</p><p>He bites the tip of his tongue, expecting for the reply to be negative.</p><p>The instant he mentions that as the topic, a sudden moment of understanding and pain were shown in Jii's eyes. The man looks away from the photos, as if burned.</p><p>Kaito feels his breath hitch.</p><p>After the sudden realization that both his parents had trained him from the start to be a phantom thief without his knowledge and consent, Kaito felt like he got sniped to the chest, knocking the air out of his lungs and freezing his muscles. </p><p>It only took the careful practice of his poker face to keep him from breaking in front of Aoko then and there.</p><p>He felt used.</p><p>That must explain why his father seemed so frantic on furthering his education at that time. Touichi must have known Kaito's intelligence and photographic memory, and must have utilized his rare abilities to make a possible phantom thief out of him. From the evidence cleaning habits and paranoia he acquired throughout the years, the continuous practice of the lessons from his dad even when he wasn't by his side anymore, and so much more that must have garnered suspicion to the people he was close to; it made sense now. </p><p>Despite being a normal high-schooler of a local school, nobody would have expert skills on lockpicking at the age of of fourteen, or master disguises that rival that of Kid, an internationally wanted criminal. Kaito should have realized it sooner, instead he got swept up from the search for Pandora, hunting down the syndicate that killed his father, and going about his life in the most normal way possible while avoiding the eyes of the police.</p><p>He just hadn't thought of it before—or maybe he had but Kaito chose to ignore it in favor of using these skills that he thought were coincidentally useful to his heists and magic shows. Out of protection, for Kaitou Kid's legacy to continue, or to help the "family business" flourish, Kaito doesn't know. He's afraid to know what his father's true intentions for him were. Because those were just possibilities that could easily be seen at a logical perspective.</p><p>Why else would a parent train their own child to have skill sets that are useful in thefts and manipulation?</p><p>And yet, he wants answers. Straight to the point, and no detours even if it will hurt him badly.</p><p>Jii looked away and that made his heart beat erratically, because he always looked Kaito straight in the eye, always— </p><p>"Yes..." He murmurs quietly to the room.</p><p>Kaito feels his hands atop his lap curling up into white-knuckled fists, "What... What did you tell him? About it I mean..."</p><p>The man pushes the glasses back up to the bridge of his nose, a white sheen of light encasing it for a moment. He looked nervous. </p><p>"I tried to tell Touichi-sama that, as long as you don't know, you'll be fine. You don't need to involve yourself. But once he has his mind set on a goal, he can't leave it alone until its done. I wanted to tell you but your father forbade me from talking to you because I, myself am involved with Kid."</p><p>A beat of silence before Kaito broke it.</p><p>"Did Oyaji tell you why he... he trained me to be..." <em>the possible next Kaitou Kid</em> went unsaid but both knew what the teenager meant.</p><p>Jii was sweating, Kaito noted. That either meant he was nervous of saying it out loud or he was lying. "Touichi-sama said something along the lines of a 'price' in your family's past. But beyond that, I don't know anything else, Bocchama."</p><p>Warning bells rang inside Kaito's head at the word 'price'. He shuddered a little, just how deep did Kaitou Kid's involvement with Pandora and Snake run? He sensed no lie but it felt like that was only half-heartedly said. Kaito tries to speak but closes his mouth.</p><p>Wait. Jii said that as long as he didn't know Kid's true identity, he was safe. But when the day he slipped past his father's portrait happened, he was involved the moment he opened his eyes to Kid's lair. </p><p>It sounded like a <em>bet</em>. </p><p>But was it really a bet when you already have the skills needed of a gentleman thief? Why does it feel like everything was planned right from the start? Did this gamble involve lives at stake?</p><p>"Jii-chan, are you telling me the whole truth?" Kaito's voice edged closer towards hurt and betrayal. He can't be mad now, Jii was always protecting him, even at the cost of the truth.</p><p>Jii relented with hesitation, caught in the act like a deer frozen from headlights. "I'm going to be honest Bocchama. All I know is that its for your protection and for a... favor."</p><p>Kaito suddenly jerked up, "A favor?" So the day the painting moved was most likely due to a <em>deal</em>. Possibly, it could have been rigged, or maybe Touichi was outmaneuvered. But that didn't explain his father's actions and reasons for involving his son. <em>Why</em> did him being the second Kaitou Kid become a payment to pay off a favor? Whom did Kuroba Touichi owe enough for him to turn his son as the heir to an international criminal's name? What could possibly happen when his father didn't comply to that condition? Was that person who owed Touichi good or bad? Kaito wants to think of the former, however, his guts screams of the latter. </p><p>He hoped that it was all some sick joke from a family friend that never intended to harm the Kuroba family.</p><p>Kaito shuddered at the thought. Kaitou Kid was someone who always managed to slip past people regardless if it was criminal or police. A gentleman thief owed no one, all debts must be paid before its due, at least, as far as Touichi's notebook told him. Consequences were avoided during his father's time. Did his dad make a mistake and it was used as leverage against him? The repercussion being his son inheriting the monocle? Then that wouldn't really be called a favor would it? That's just dirty blackmail.</p><p>If this 'favor' was crucial enough that his dad made sure he was the next Kid, he'll need to plan his heists with the utmost caution from now on. Maybe the person that had his dad indebted to was watching him perform, and the only way to contact them is to send a message they themselves can decode.</p><p>(Kaito desperately cages the thoughts of 'why <em>use</em> me dad', 'what did you <em>do</em>?', and 'was i forced to be a criminal from the <em>beginning</em>?'. Only his father's advice of never forgetting his poker face held in the emotions Kaito wanted to spill out. <em>Why</em>. Why did everything he did remind him of his dad and Kaitou Kid—<em>whywhywhywhy</em>—)</p><p>Jii nodded, "Yes. I believe Touichi-sama has left his notebook in your care?" He replied with a dumbfounded nod, dizzy with the proceedings that left more questions than answers.</p><p>"Then you'll probably find your answers there Bocchama. I'm sorry if I couldn't provide you anymore than what I know."</p><p>Kaito waved it off, already on his way to the exit, "It's fine. Let's talk about the pie the day after tomorrow. Bye, Jii-chan." The tinkle of the bell above the door signaled the teenager's departure.</p><p>"Take care and have a good night, Kaito-bocchama." The old man murmured to the empty bar, stares at the orange juice that was left untouched and the picture of the first Kaitou Kid on the thirteenth heist, holding a smug grin that held an undercurrent of coldness to his eyes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The house was dark and silent by the time Kaito got home. He cleans up the house for a bit, fed his doves and opened the cages for a while so that they could have some time to stretch their wings before Kaito called them back. There was leftover yakisoba and tempura inside the fridge, left by Aoko figuring that he would come home late from Blue Parrot. He smiled at her thoughtfulness, some things never change. </p><p>After he ate his re-heated dinner, Kaito closes the shutters and drapes the curtains across his windows. He avoids the gaze of his father's picture as much as he can. He didn't want to think about his situation. At least, not yet.</p><p>He studies for the upcoming quizzes tomorrow as well as a few lessons that will be tackled until next week. Chemistry, World History, Physics, English, Health, etcetera, etcetera.</p><p>Kaito was reading up on Coordinate Geometry when his phone lit up with a familiar tune. He reached towards his night stand to unplug it from the charger.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>From: Kaa-san</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Are you alright Kaito? What happened? </em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He grips the device tighter. Of course, his mother would know whether he was fine or not through Jii. Or, maybe Aoko texted her knowing that Kaito remembered something unpleasant during their hangout early morning.</p><p>Either way, talking to someone close to him right now made him feel a bit sick. He types out a quick 'I'm fine.' at her and resumes his studies.</p><p>Kaito gets a message saying that she wants to do a video call on Wednesday night. He replies with the capital letters: 'OK' and a cat with a thumbs up on the chat. He knows what they'll talk about on that night, however, Kaito doesn't think he's in the mood for a chat with his mother anytime soon.</p><p>It was childish. Especially after she just mentioned that what 'they did' to him was for protection. His safety. He should have kept his word, yet here he is moping because he was used as a bargaining chip for a favor big enough Touichi traded his son's future and health to ensure he got what he wanted. Kaito wants to ask his father all the why's invading his head and filling him up with confusion and pain—</p><p>He didn't want to be Kaitou Kid but he was in <em>too</em> deep already. He could only move forward and wear that damnable poker face to the end. Kaito had kept everyone at a distance emotionally so that would be enough to assume that nobody would care if the magician extraordinaire up and disappeared along with the Moonlight Magician.</p><p>Chikage had warned—mentioned that early on and possibly knew that those lessons are more than for his protection, but Kaito also knows that his father is a professional at poker. He keeps his most important cards to himself until the very end, even if it means lying to your family. Just why would he lie to his wife about something so dire? Was the person his father had been dealing with that dangerous? Why had that person not contacted him yet, the second Kid, for coercion or blackmail or whatever?</p><p>There's something unsettling about the circumstances in his family and Kaito wants to find out what.</p><p>For a moment, he stares blankly into empty space. Then, his head <em>throbbed</em>.</p><p>Kaito snaps out of his stupor and shakes his head. <em>'Too many thoughts again...'</em> He shakily exhales before tossing the phone on the bed and heads towards the workshop. </p><p>When he got to the supposed basement of the house, he idly wonders where to find the mechanism for his father's old car to transfer unto the road. The open roof of the vehicle seemed nice to take a joy ride in. But Kaito wasn't in the mood for a chase nor does he want the media blowing up again on theories about his identity. It wasn't like he could get the car out anyway. Besides, there was absolutely no way his dad would disassemble the vehicle outside and assemble it inside. That'd obviously be too tedious and magicians weren’t mechanics.</p><p>Kaito will figure it out later he thinks. He takes the regalia and gadgets inside a sling bag, dresses up in his usual black get-up and exits the house. The teenager takes up his usual route, added more turns and twists to deter anyone watching him.</p><p>So far, he doesn’t feel any pair of eyes nor lingering presence near him. Cameras were easy to manipulate so no problem on that.</p><p>In a dark nondescript alley, Kaito changes into Kaitou Kid in a flash. The costume suddenly felt right and wrong on his body at the same time. His right eye felt heavy under the weight of the cool monocle perched on his nose.</p><p>Tugging on his gloves for a snug fit, he breaks out in a sprint.</p><p>Kid finally reaches the nearest nine story building in the block and climbs to the rooftop to deploy his hang glider there. The phantom thief jumps onto the railing and for a moment, he stays there, surveying Tokyo's night life with his cape billowing gently from the breeze. Kid shivers and pockets his hands in his pants.</p><p>It shouldn’t be funny how he feels vastly different as Kid the Phantom thief and Kuroba Kaito the magician prankster.</p><p>Yet here he was, contemplating which was the mask, on the verge of hysterically laughing and crying at the raging chaos that contrasted Kid’s cool demeanor and Kaito’s fun brand of it.</p><p>Truly, and utterly pathetic of him.</p><p>Up this high, alone, with the crescent moon as his only witness, Kaito feels a momentary squeeze of melancholy clench his heart. He'll never forget the beauty of the lights down below but something about it just makes him feel... longing and that ever present friend called pain.</p><p>It just makes him remember his father, his mother, Aoko, Kaitou Kid, Snake, Pandora, heists and so much more that just makes him feel the weight of being a wanted criminal's burden.</p><p>Kid tugs his hat downwards and leans his weight forward, allowing his body to fall from its perch on the railing. Upon activating the glider midair, he catches an updraft and steers his body up, up and anywhere, nowhere, so long as the wind takes his troubles for a moment and allows his mind a brief episode of peace.</p><p>He breathes in the faint scent of smoke and cool night air of Tokyo, the phantom thief's eyes roam the streets and buildings, neon, fluorescent, and dark all the same. He avoids any potential unwarranted attention to his being by flying higher than usual. Kid had already learned that once you're high enough, people don't generally sense your presence unless they themselves look up.</p><p>If he gets sniped right now, Kaito thinks that he'll welcome that physical pain instead of overthinking on his familial matters and identity crisis.</p><p>Kaito doesn't know how many minutes pass by with him dressed in white, soaring the skies in hopes of clearing his head. Probably long enough that someone had caught him 'scouting' his next target again and are posting it on their Twitter account. He sighs, "Time to go home, I suppose."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Hakuba Saguru has finished his dinner when a text from his father caught his attention.</p><p>
  <em>I have sent you the files you requested the other day, but you have to focus on your studies before that.</em>
</p><p>He types out his gratitude in a formal text and heads up to his room through the grand staircase, into the long hallways and finally, his room. The hot water from the bathtub let out a light steam, allowing it to fog the mirrors and drift out to his bedroom. Hakuba silently thanks Baaya and takes the pajamas from his bed, to go to the bathroom.</p><p>The soak soothed all the stress and aches on his body, making him forget the tough case he had hours ago. His flight made it worse, but the bath was a warm welcome to him.</p><p>Hakuba lets out a sigh of contentment, submerging downwards until the water reached above his mouth.</p><p>It’s not often that the case was hard but it had involved a large jewel and his mind had occasionally drifted to the phantom thief of Japan. Which, did not bode well for his concentration. Even more so when Kid was acting strange.</p><p>London was calling for him more often and he couldn’t easily object to his mother’s requests of him going back home every few months or so.</p><p>It was weird that Kid had temporarily stopped planning heists and had opted to be a specter that observed from above.</p><p>Based on eye witness reports, Hakuba could only think of three conclusions. A.) A new route for Kid’s heists, B.) He was trying to find something, C.) Kid was taunting someone about his presence but Hakuba doesn't know who.</p><p>Whatever the phantom thief’s motives are, Hakuba plans to ask Kid about it. <em>Then</em>, arrest him later on.</p><p>He snorted at Nakamori-keibu’s shrieks of surprise when he found out that the criminal was found exploring up to three wards without a calling card. That had been the only second night Kid was spotted by the pedestrians from Shinjuku and Nakano ward. Those were unexpected nights that the police had scrambled to catch the thief, only to end as a useless goosechase.</p><p>So far, as much as Hakuba knew, there were five instances that Kid was spotted. The last being three weeks ago with no discernible pattern for the appearances. He wouldn’t be surprised if Kaitou Kid had stopped and was planning a heist around the corner.</p><p>Hakuba wants to find out just what Kaitou Kid was plotting but he didn’t find a time to interrogate the thief and his possible civilian persona. Kuroba-kun was a slimy little slug whenever Hakuba so much as breathes the same room as him.</p><p>There was also the fact that he has to study far ahead of his peers to keep his grades up and make up for his absences. The only thing that leaves him displeased is to see the corpses he has to solve and missing heists.</p><p>Stepping away from the tub, he unplugs it and opts for a proper shower. After that, the detective towels himself dry and exits the bathroom.</p><p>“Baaya,” Hakuba calls out to the woman. “Have you seen my—“</p><p>A bloody hand slaps on his glass door that led to his balcony and the blonde manages to prevent his scream.</p><p>The hand disappeared but a figure jumped down and stumbled forward. They braced themselves against the railing, their outline distinct against the moonlight.</p><p>Without a second thought, Hakuba goes to the person and wrenches open the double doors to see—</p><p>“Good... evening, Tantei-san.” Kaitou Kid, bleeding and leaning against his terrace, greeted him with a wry grin. His face drenched in sweat and blood.</p><p>Hakuba goes pale and his voice was shaky as he called the woman. “Baaya, get the med kit!” He begins the arduous task of hauling the thief to the nearest chair, with the man nearly limping along the way. The detective cursed as the blood had soaked his shirt. He hopes that this couldn’t be a bullet wound, let this just be a large gash or—</p><p>“What the hell did you do...” Hakuba tried to gently pry the suit away while he talked to the thief in a commanding tone. Kid lolled his head from side to side, face scrunched from pain.</p><p>“...A stroll...” Came the lazy, wheezed out reponse. Even in a situation where he's severely injured does Kuroba try to joke. Hakuba's blood boils at the thought.</p><p>Shit, so the Kaitou Kid just got shot on the right shoulder, a slightly large gash on his cheek and on the left arm. But there wasn’t any bullet lodged inside which is good and now he needs—</p><p>At that moment, his Baaya was his savior, bursting through the door and bringing in the largest medical kit in the house. The woman goes to help clean the bloody mess left by Kid. All he needs to do now is treat the phantom thief. Hakuba dashes to the bathroom and washes his hands thoroughly before heading back in a flash.</p><p>With Kid’s chest bare, Hakuba goes to treat the largest wound first. He busied his hands with the familiar procedure of suture. It was deep enough that with enough blood loss, Kuroba might have died. The thought scares him, was there a sniper targeting Kid? How come he only knew now.</p><p>“What were you thinking, Kid?” The detective hissed in anger at the now chuckling thief. The tissue forceps exposed the muscle and Kuroba stilled at the incoming needle from Hakuba's other hand.</p><p>“Heh... about—“ Whatever words Kid was about to say were replaced with a sharp intake of breath. Hakuba had to fight back an apology at the pain, he didn’t like needles too so he could only imagine the hell Kid was putting up. Kuroba also deserved it because he got shot like an idiot.</p><p>“You could’ve been more gentle to little old me Tantei-san.” The whine that came from Kid pierced his ears. </p><p>"We're talking after this Kid." Hakuba firmly says, focusing on the fourth knot on the first wound before tying it up and covering it. When the magician froze at his statement, he doesn't comment about it. He does the same process on the next two, with Kuroba trying his best to breathe evenly and avoid the half-brit's gaze.</p><p>The ordeal ends with them surrounded in gauze, tissue, and bloody clothes. The detective ungracefully flops back on his bed, and turns to Kid. He moved him from the stained chair to lean against the stacked pillows on his bed.</p><p>Both were exhausted but they knew that a phantom thief was prone to running away the moment his secrets are pried away from his chest. Hakuba knew that Kid wasn’t fragile but the half-lidded eyes told him otherwise. Based on the blood loss, Kuroba might still have energy left for a serious chat and a stern scolding. “Look, Kuroba—“</p><p>Kid had the nerve to tut at him, like he was scolding a child. “Dunno who you’re talking about, Tantei-san.”</p><p>He glared at him but relented. “<em>Kid</em>." Hakuba forced out. "Were you always like this when you leave your heists?”</p><p>The thief looked disgusted before he replied, “I’ll have you know I can be a gentleman when I want to.” Kid gave a proud smirk.</p><p>“That’s not what I meant! I was asking you <em>seriously</em>, I was talking about the snipers!” The half-brit tsked, annoyance prickling his tone.</p><p>“Oh.” Kid paused, thinking for a moment, before breaking out into a grin, "Well, who knows?"</p><p>Then that possibly meant its been happening for quite some time now. At least, that's what his gut told him because Kid was an insufferable bastard that breathed out secrets like a fog machine. Hakuba conveys his frustration by saying "<em>What</em>." through his teeth.</p><p>The man in white raised his hands in a placating gesture, “Relax, I’ve got it in control Tantei-san.” When the unconvinced look remained unchanged, Kid begrudgingly said, “Okay fine. Usually I’d have a sniper at my back but this time it was two.”</p><p>The fact that Kid had said usually made the detective run a hand down his face slowly as if he wanted to get rid of all the bullshit thrown at his face.</p><p>“But don’t worry! I’ve got everything under control.”</p><p>He gave a funny look at Kaitou Kid, flitting his eyes up and down at the injuries and red staining the white of his suit pants.</p><p>However, the idiot gave no outward reaction. Damn that poker face.</p><p>“Tantei-san. When I say its fine, its <strong>fine</strong>.” Blue eyes hardened under the moonlight.</p><p>Hakuba had to rub his temples and do a breathing exercise after the thief said that. When he calmed down, the half-brit looked at him straight in the eye.</p><p>“Just... rest here for a while. The guest rooms are on the east hall.” He began cleaning up the materials used for the suture. Disposing the needle properly as well as the cloths used.</p><p>Nothing but the rustle of clothes were heard. Kid began moving in a steady manner. Hakuba watched from the corner of his eye in case he needed to support Kid.</p><p>Blood slightly pooled on the right side of his bed. He noted to change the sheets in the morning and throw it away. Despite the nagging voice that this could be used as evidence, Hakuba wasn’t petty enough to do that. He’ll catch Kid through his heists and when they’re both at their best.</p><p>Hakuba noticed Kid lingering by the doorframe, searching for his gaze. When he met it, the detective was greeted with a thankful look and a grateful smile before the thief left, closing the door with a small click.</p><p>He was left stunned, clutching at the med kit’s handle loosely before turning to the rest of his room that all traces of Kid had been void except for the drops of blood on his bed. What Hakuba doesn't expect the morning after, is to see a card bearing Kaitou Kid's emblem. This time for sure, he'll attend a heist and capture those intending to harm the thief.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kid steers the glider to Nerima ward's direction. His hopes of getting home safely were immediately thrown out the window the moment the wind's direction changed and was strong enough it flung him out of balance.</p><p>He nearly screamed and flailed but managed to reign it in. "Fuck! This is bad." Kid hissed as he tries to control his direction once more. Panic wouldn’t do him any good. At this point, he'll need to change his route and call Jii to pick him up on the farthest ward in Tokyo.</p><p>Wait—</p><p>Kaito looks down and nearly makes his eyes pop out. He was so <strong><em>screwed</em></strong>. </p><p>A flashing red laser temporarily blinded him, and that was enough for him to drop the glider before—</p><p>Searing white hot pain explodes in his left arm and right shoulder, as well as a late, faint whizz past his cheek, and Kid choked on a scream before he was forced activate his cape again to let the strong current carry him away from the area. </p><p>Red quickly drenched the whole sleeve and Kaito tries to put pressure on the wound. But his shoulder was <em>worse</em>, it was a large gash. How deep it went Kaito doesn't know. He hissed and squeezed his eyes shut.</p><p>
  <em>Two snipers, 2067 feet above the ground, north-east.</em>
</p><p><em>Think, think. Call Jii as soon as you land, but first, I need to stitch myself up.</em> He could feel the blood seeping into the fabric and slowly draining him. He should have brought his first aid kit. Why was he so <strong>fucking</strong> <em>stupid</em>—</p><p>Through the haze of pain that started to cloud his eyes, Kid doesn’t register flying farther away from the city and into the deeper parts beyond Nerima ward. The glider enters a forest's territory and the wind remained harsh.</p><p>It should just be a graze considering how he calculated the snipers’ trajectory. But it somehow hurt more than usual. </p><p>It <em>stung</em>.</p><p>He only registers where he was headed when a familiar mansion with the insignia of a white horse did he curse his luck tonight.</p><p>
  <em>Ah, fuck it. Things could be worse.</em>
</p><p>The phantom thief ungracefully crashes on the roof, a dull thud against the concrete of the mansion. He winces at his wounds being aggravated, hoping against hope that the man’s nanny could at least be kind enough to help him for tonight. </p><p>Reporting it to the brit be damned, that was his problem for later.</p><p>Kid tugs on his cape that was caught on the branches, biting his lip hard as he did so. Moving took every ounce of willpower to make a single movement so he wished that he didn’t need words to explain his situation to the woman.</p><p>Taking in a deep breath, Kaito tries to discreetly enter Hakuba’s room without caution.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>at first i planned for a slice of life kind for the fic but then i wanted actual plot.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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